Supporting Namibia’s vulnerable youth: How Steps for Children is breaking the cycle of poverty
NON-PROFIT
Namibia, like many countries in southern Africa, faces deep social inequality. Despite 30 years of independence, poverty remains widespread, with many families lacking basic necessities such as running water. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has further exacerbated this, leaving many children orphaned and forcing them to live with elderly relatives or fend for themselves, often without any access to education. The Steps for Children foundation was established 18 years ago in Windhoek to address this crisis by offering these vulnerable children education and support as a path out of poverty. Today, the foundation supports over 5,000 children and young people across eight locations, from preschool to university.
The foundation’s work begins with children as young as one year old, providing them with early education and continuing support throughout their school years. In addition to traditional schooling, children receive tutoring in math and English, and older youth are taught practical skills that enable them to earn an income.
Stefan Wolfschütz, who has been with the foundation since its beginnings, manages the organization's IT infrastructure from Germany on a voluntary basis.
“The distances between our project centers in Namibia are very great,” Wolfschütz explains. “In the beginning, the technical infrastructure could only be set up at great expense.”
The team in Namibia relies heavily on technology, but with limited local IT resources, they turn to Wolfschütz and his colleagues for help.
Using TeamViewer, Wolfschütz is able to provide remote support to staff in Namibia, ensuring that computers, smartphones, and other devices remain functional. This is crucial in a country where many project sites are located in remote areas with limited access to IT support.
“In the past, managing our IT sometimes involved traveling hundreds of miles and a lot of effort. And if we were unlucky, that day the internet would be down, now we can take care of these issues in minutes and ensure that our employees on site can do their work efficiently.”
Member of the Executive Board at Steps for Children
As an effort to improve its IT process, staff members received smartphones, which have become an essential tool for communication and day-to-day operations. However, managing these devices remotely presented a new challenge. The foundation turned to TeamViewer’s Mobile Device Support to ensure that even in remote locations, staff could receive IT assistance quickly and easily.
“The change raised the question of support for mobile devices,” Wolfschütz says. “We do have an IT contact in Windhoek, but he is hundreds of miles away from our project centers. However, even the most dedicated workers in Namibia don't have the skills to set up and manage mobile phones by themselves.” Thanks to TeamViewer, Wolfschütz and his team can remotely manage smartphones, solving problems and installing updates without the need for in-person visits.
This technological support has made a tangible difference for the foundation’s work.
“Two years ago, we had the first high school graduates from a really poor and poverty-stricken area who went through our entire project, including kindergarten, preschool, school, and high school graduation,” Wolfschütz shares. “Now, they are studying in Windhoek. Education has given these people the chance to lead a life of self-determination.”
For Wolfschütz, technology has been a vital partner in the foundation's mission. With the help of TeamViewer, the organization can continue to provide essential services to the children who need it most, helping to create opportunities for a better future.