Tamé

by Sebastian TIRTIRAU

Tamé

Bushmanland, North Western Kalahari system, Namibia – a “reservation” kind of place, where the San Bushman tribe of the Kung people live, speaking the ancient Ju:Hoansi language.  They are spread over this area in small villages, 20-50 people, most of them still surviving on hunting and gathering, even though this is a sad statement, since there is hardly any game to hunt and the variety of roots and berries in the wild is shrinking fast due to climate change.

Hunger is therefore the order of the day.  For years we’ve been trying to alleviate this situation by implementing small gardens around each water system, protected by a large circular wall built of stones to keep the elephants and other animals away.

In one of our projects, we were driving through a sandy road, heading back to our camp, in the bush of the Omatako valley.  The sun was setting and the sky was pink-red from the clouds of sand of the Kalahari.

Suddenly on the side of the road we see a small boy, maybe 8 years old, waving his hand to us as if he was hitchhiking.  We stop and we asked him what he was doing out here alone, late in the evening?   He replied: “I would like to work for you!”  😊 😊

Shocked by this statement, we found out that he is from the neighboring village of San and he wanted to stay with us in the camp.  We already had around 40 children staying with us, going to school and sleeping and eating at our facilities.  We took him in the car and drove off.  Over the next few days, he kept very close to me, watching everything I was doing and helping bring some water to the gardens or just hanging around us.  After about 3 days, he said he wanted to go home to see his family.  I drove him there, bringing some food and other items for his family.

Upon reaching his place, we discovered that his mother was lying on the ground in the grass hut, without any power to stand up to greet us.  We first thought she is very sick and we rushed back to the camp and brought our doctor with us to check on her.  She did a thorough examination and she called me aside to say: “This woman has no sickness, she is just dying of hunger, wasting away like a candle at the end of its life”

This statement broke my heart, especially that right after this visit I found out that Tame, the 8 years old boy, wanted to come “work” for us so he can buy some food for his dying mother!  Of course, we started a feeding program for his village and the surrounding villages, but the situation there opened our eyes to the serious problem these people face: extraordinary hunger and thirst.

To drive an 8 years old boy to go away from his family and find work to feed them is an immense feat of courage and survival and I believe this is the reason these people survived for so long in the harshest environment in Africa.

 And think how much food and water we waste in the developed world!

We discover children like Tame all the time, all over the world.  Little children, who should enjoy their childhood without stress or worries, are constantly put in the situation to become the bread winners for their families and this opens up the door for child exploitation, child prostitution and in many cases, pure slavery.

You can stop this, you can be part of an incredible global movement that stands against greed, manipulation and exploitation of these children.  Make the move, become a Pilgrim!

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Providing a platform for people who long to leave a durable legacy of good behind them.  A legacy of real results, with no strings attached, no hidden agenda and no search for self-gratification or vain glory. What we say we do, we are doing and we provide long term support for people and communities in real need. 

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1. To promote, support and develop the well-being of underprivileged, marginalized and remote children of the world, orphans primarily but not necessarily as a general rule.

2. To create the appropriate infrastructure for such projects, like water systems powered by solar technology, irrigation and agricultural systems to feed them, school buildings, sports facilities, skill development facilities, education sponsorship, medical help and humanitarian support.

3. To bring true care, true love and true commitment to these children by encouraging the local communities to get involved in raising these children in the local culture, language and circumstances, so they grow up to be confident and happy members of their own society.

4. To educate the adult community in protecting the children from abuse, exploitation and neglect, by implementing stimulating programs in the community to foster their well being as a whole.

5. To teach these children and youth the definition of the only true religion: “The purest religion is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” James 1:27. No other definition will be accepted in connection with our work with the orphans. This will keep all the other religious agendas at bay and the children will be given a fair opportunity to choose their destiny.

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