(fltr) Ambassador Dennise Mathieu pictured with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Theo-Ben Gurirab, his wife, Joan Guriras, and the Minister of Education, Nangolo Mbumba, at the 232nd U.S. Independence Day celebrations, July 4, 2008. Full Size

Remarks by Ambassador Dennise Mathieu
U.S. Independence Day Celebration
July 4, 2008

Good afternoon!

And welcome to our July 4th celebration, marking 232 years of independence of the United States of America. 

This is a day when Americans celebrate our freedom, indivisible liberty and ideals of democracy, and I am very pleased to be making my first July 4th speech in Namibia,  where we share common values and our bonds of friendship continue to grow and strengthen. 

Over the past 18 years the United States and Namibia have enjoyed a productive and cooperative partnership in many development sectors.  Taking a look at some of last year’s accomplishments and this year’s joint endeavors shows just how far we’ve come together.  [read more]

Jimmy Kearney of Joint Compassion Keepers and his young helpers open the container of more than 270,000 meals donated by U.S. NGO Feed My  Starving Children to Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Namibia.  The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief provided funding for the  trans-Atlantic shipping costs through  another PEPFAR partner, Namibia's Church Alliance for Orphans. Full Size

270,000 Meals For Orphans And Vulnerable Children
From U.S. NGO Arrive In Namibia

Last week, the Namibian-based Joint Compassion Keepers International (JCK), an interdenominational, charitable organization, received a 40-foot container from the United States full of well-rounded meals which will feed orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Namibia as part of their "Love for a Child" program.  The meals will be distributed by JCK to thousands of OVC throughout Namibia.  The U. S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funded the trans-Atlantic shipment of the 270,000 meals from the United States. 

This humanitarian effort began last year when, the founders of JCK, Jimmy and Glaudi Kearney, were watching a television segment on Feed My Starving Children (FMS), a U.S. charity program which donates meals that are supplemented with vitamins and minerals, safe to transport and easy to prepare, around the world.  JCK wasted no time and applied for a similar donation. [read more]