Our History

Bernhard Nordkamp, the founder of the Bernard Nordkamp Centre, came to Namibia in 1986 to focus on the plight of children – especially those in Windhoek’s northern Katutura settlement. It was his vision and drive that established the children’s centre now carrying his name: The Bernard Nordkamp Centre (BNC). The focus was on providing a safe place for orphans and vulnerable children as well as a soup kitchen, thereby guaranteeing them at least one meal a day. 

In 2005 Mary Beth Gallagher took over the lead at the Bernard Nordkamp Centre, starting a sport and activities program for the afternoons. As she looked at the needs of the kids in 2010 it became very obvious that the only way for them to really break the cycle of AIDS and poverty was going to be through education. Mary Beth is a volunteer herself and could not be more passionate about the children of Katutura and helping them through education.

Today the prime focus of the Bernard Nordkamp Centre Namibia is to provide a balanced educational programme with emphasis on Mathematics and English, which supports and supplements the Namibian school curriculum.

What we do

There are around 200 children participating in Bernard Nordkamp Centre's program, enrolled in local public schools, grades 1 to 10. They go to school in the morning and then come to the centre for lunch and after school classes in English and Maths. They are taught by local Namibian teachers as well as international volunteers.

The Bernard Nordkamp Centre objective's are to provide children with a balanced programme of activities which will meet their individual needs, but above all, will equip them to be positive, well educated and contributing adult members of society. To achieve this, the Centre provides a formal learning programme as well as opportunities for sporting and cultural activities. There is a youth choir, soccer, tennis, ping-pong, basketball, chess and even swimming.

Meanwhile the children are proud to say that they are going to the Bernard Nordkamp Centre and they found a new description for BNC: Best Namibian Children!

Our Mission & Goals

At the Bernard Nordkamp Centre the teachers, parents and caregivers, working together to create an environment that eliminates violence, hatred and ignorance and replaces it with knowledge, discipline, conflict resolution and teamwork.

Thanks to many donors, volunteers and sponsors those kids who regularly come to follow the classes are also supported with school uniforms, school equipment, clothes, toys, food and other things.