In the heart of Gobabis, one woman's compassion has become a lifeline for many vulnerable children and struggling families. 

Johana Nakale saw the growing need in her community and decided she could not stand by while children went hungry or lacked a safe place to be cared for. 

What started as a simple act of feeding a few children soon grew into something much bigger. Nakale's journey of helping vulnerable children and families began many years ago while she ran a small food business at Gobabis.

That experience, she said, opened her eyes to the struggles many families in the area were facing.

"I started this journey in 2026; I was just a business lady, selling vetkoek at a small kapana stand. I used to sit next to a tap where I would sell my things. People from the San community would come and fetch water from the tap; the men would take the water, and the women would sit there with the children, and they would cry because of hunger. I eventually started feeding them the food I was meant to sell and later realised that I didn't make a profit."

Nakale said over the years, many of the children she took in became part of her family. She treats these children as if they were her own, and they even accompany her on her school holiday trips to the village.

The centre has received support from partners who see the work being done for vulnerable children in the community, and this assistance has helped them improve the facilities and made it easier for them to care for the children daily.

"We got these containers in July 2025 from Türkiye's ambassador; they initially wanted to give us a garden, but Old Mutual Namibia already sponsored it. They then asked what we needed, and I said a kitchen and shelter for the children, a fridge and a washing machine, because we would wash all the children's clothes by hand."

Despite the support she has received, Nakale said the centre still faces several challenges, as the number of children it cares for continues to grow. 

She noted that their most urgent needs include basic necessities required to care for the children.