Most parents leave for work after dropping their children off at daycare or in the care of family. 

For 34-year-old Boas Iipinge, the working day begins with preparing his eight-month-old son for a journey they make together through the streets of Katutura in Windhoek.

By four o'clock each morning, Ipinge's day has already begun.

Before leaving home, he prepares soft porridge to put in his son's bottle, and only then does he prepare for work. 

His work entails walking from one suburb to another, selling a few products and doing this while carrying his eight-month-old baby on his back.

Iipinge is currently the only caretaker of the child following an incident that led to the mother abandoning the minor. 

"When my child was abandoned, there were people who witnessed what had happened. But because he was only a few weeks old, social workers from the Hope for Life Foundation took custody of him and cared for him. I visited my child regularly. As time went on, I became concerned that if I left him there for too long, I could lose custody of him. When he was three months old, I then decided that I would rather raise him myself."

Providing for an infant on a meagre income has not always been easy for Ipinge; he says there have been times when he had to seek other ways to meet his son's basic needs.

"When my child came into my care, I was filled with hope. However, as time passed, the situation became increasingly challenging, particularly after the support I had been receiving came to an end,” said Ipinge. He went on to discuss the various difficulties he still encounters. “There have been occasions when I ran out of nappies, prompting me to tear up my old T-shirts to create something for my child to wear. When food was scarce at home, I would gather discarded vegetables, remove the spoiled parts, and prepare what was still edible. The most important thing for me is that my children have something to eat. Even if it means going to bed hungry myself, I ensure that my children are fed.”

Iipinge also helps care for his three-year-old son. He said what he knows about raising children comes from his late grandmother, who raised him. The values and knowledge she passed on continue to guide him as a father, and when he is unsure, he seeks advice.

Iipinge said caring for his son has at times drawn negative comments from members of the public. 

"I receive a lot of criticism, especially from fellow men who say they would never walk around carrying a baby on their back. Some people would laugh at me, and there are also times when my child needs a nappy change while we are out in public; some men would say they would never change a baby's nappy. But I believe no difficult situation lasts forever."

With his highest qualification being Grade 12, Iipinge aspires to secure employment or expand his small business while raising his children, taking it one day at a time.