LITTLE SEEDS, BIG DREAMS
FOR KIDS IN MAUN, BOTSWANA
45 children between the ages of four and seventeen took part in the program, specifically 25 girls and 20 boys. The children come from difficult family backgrounds and unfortunately receive little or no food at home. During the week they are fed once a day by the school, but unfortunately this means that at weekends the children's meals are not organised. This leads to a hopeless situation and unfortunately results in children acting desperate. Mostly, the girls end up in a vulnerable situation where they will do a lot for food.
The children and adolescents come from various age groups and thus need different levels of support. Diversity is also important in this aspect – especially girls need to be shown possibilities in this patriarchal environment.
Official start: Saturday, 11 May 2024, with the first meal
Goal: Provide nutritious meals and create a conducive environment for social interaction and personal development, which currently takes place every Saturday.
Main components:
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Food distribution
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Children's games
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Conversations / needs analysis
Get to Know Us
For the approximately 45 children who come to our food stand, hunger is a constant companion because they often do not receive enough or any food at home. The reasons for this are diverse: poverty, alcoholism in families, but also neglect and lack of social support lead to children staying hungry and being left to fend for themselves.
From Monday to Friday, they often receive only one meal a day at school – for many, the only reliable source of food. However, on weekends, they often go completely without food, which forces them to beg or put themselves in dangerous situations (including sexually) to get something to eat.
Our project begins with something very simple yet essential: we feed the hungry children. A filled stomach is the first step to not only providing them with food but also giving them a sense of security. In this protected space, we can gain their trust – the most important foundation to really help them. Once the initial hunger is satisfied, we open doors for more: with committed volunteers and inspiring speakers, we create moments that nourish not only the body but also the soul. We listen, laugh, learn, and give the children something that is often missing – genuine attention and care.
By building trust, we succeed in gaining a deeper insight into their lives. With the support of our outreach worker, we gradually visit the families to better understand their home conditions. However, this process takes time – it is often challenging to get the parents on board or find solutions for difficult life situations.
Therefore, our first and most urgent step is to feed the children. With each filled plate and each kind word, we lay the foundation for intensive, individual support. Only when a child is full and safe can they begin to believe in hope again.
DIRECT HELP FOR SELF-HELP — FOR WOMEN MAKERS IN BOTSWANA!
We want to change and improve the lives and future of the amazing women & youth.
We support women who, through their commitment, significantly contribute to improvements in their immediate surroundings - like the founder of the Lehikeng Trust.
Additionally, we take care of projects that empower the next generation in Botswana. This commitment, in turn, has a lasting positive impact on the entire community. The foundation of "Small Village Botswana" consists of three essential ingredients: trust, team spirit, and community spirit. Our entirely voluntary members are friends and family at the same time. Our president, Isabelle Tschugmall, is regularly in Botswana through her safari enterprises, ensuring transparency as well as impact and recognizing the needs on the ground.
We are convinced that, with your help, we can achieve great things on a small scale. The donation amounts go directly to the site - we only deduct bank charges, our team does not receive any salary - 100% for the impact on the ground.
OUR STRATEGY: EMBEDDING IN THE ECOSYSTEM.