Christina Swart — Opperman Aids Orphan Trust's 8th fundraising gala dinner was held earlier this week at the Safari Court Conference Centre with the theme "Our beautiful children, our beautiful country".

The posh event, which attracted an array of well-known people in the country, including the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Libertine Amathila, featured poems and cultural performances by the 64 children that benefit from the Trust. The Polytechnic choir, South African songbird Jennifer Jones. and the three course traditional cuisine were some of the highlights of this gala dinner.

According to Dr Christina Swart-Opperman, it is estimated that more than 15 million children under the age of 18, worldwide, have been orphaned as a result of AIDS.

The fundraiser was aimed to raise funds for sports development for the children in the project and to help continue with the current projects as well as embarking upon identified assistance for additional homes and families.

The children's cultural performances included all 13 cultures of Namibia and together they sang "We are the World"with Jennifer Jones while director of ceremonies, Lazarus Jacobs kept the guests entertained.

Guest speaker, Minister of Education, Hon Nangolo Mbumba said when the Christina Swart-Opperman Trust was launched in 2003, a welcome light appeared in the darkness, a darkness caused by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

"HIV is more then a public health issue,It needs the involvement of all levels and components of the society," he said.

The Christina Swart-Opperman Aids Orphan Trust was launched in February 2003. Currently 8045 children have benefited from the Trust since the launch and they still have over 2000 children on a waiting list that need funds. The Trust is a registered NGO with a Patron and a Board of Trustees.