When Teopolina Hamutu, NamPower Security Guard at NPC, lost a family member, as well as her house and all her personal belongings as a result of a fire during the night of 21 January, the onus was on the NamPower Family to reach out and provide basic essentials such as clothes and food. The fire, which raged through the early hours of the morning, claimed the life of her four-year-old niece, and left Teopolina, her two sons aged 12 and 14, her elder sister (the mother of the deceased toddler) and other relatives who were staying with her, virtually stranded.

Teopolina, who was initially treated for shock at the Katutura Hospital, is well-known for the Roman Hertzog Kindergarten she runs from her house. She has to rely on donations to keep the Kindergarten operational, so the loss of her house came as a huge setback, forcing her to use the bungalow normally used as a classroom as a temporary house.

The house, made of corrugated iron sheet, was completely destroyed. Remnants of fabric, an unrecognisably distorted fridge and personal papers were just the tangible evidence of the disaster. It could be no indication of the terrible loss of life the family had to face.

NamPower colleagues came to the rescue with members of Management buying a mobile corrugated iron bungalow to replace her old house, and other colleagues donating anything from food to clothing and cash. A box of soft toys for the Kindergarten came highly appreciated as well.

Aina Booysen, Senior Secretary with NamPower Investments and Commercial Development co-ordinated the donation efforts and arranged for her General Manager, Lucia Shipena, to hand over the items to Teopolina on 16 February. “These items were given to you by your colleagues. We know that it would never replace the things that you have lost, but we know that it will be of assistance,” Ms Shipena said.

Teopolina was extremely glad about the donation and assistance. “Praise the Lord,” she kept on saying. “And God Bless all of you.”

We wish to use this avenue to thank all colleagues in the NamPower Family who have given assistance to Teopolina in this way.