About us

Ravian, Renate, Marianne and Marion got to know Sam and Doreen Murwana during volunteerwork in the beginning of 2014. Sam and Doreen are the founders of Noah’s Ark Academy Naminya (NAAN). NAAN was founded in 2012 to answer to a need for a daycare for impoverished orphans/children. Initially it were a couple of children, but in no time at all the numbers grew to more than 80 children. This was too much for them to handle and they realised a structural solution was needed; NAAN was born. Next to the care of the children there was a need for scholing, to educate the children.

When we got to know one another, they were in the second year of developing the school. It was a struggle to make ends meet because of the limited supplies. They received help through the local church, but this was, alongside the asked and paid schoolfees, not enough to get by. There is a lack of structural support.

NAAN is in contact with the Ministery of Education to receive an education permit. A safe enclosure, a staffroom and classrooms have to be build to qualify for a permit. There is no money to make these investments.

After intense meetings with the board of NAAN, the vision and the business plan became clear. The mission of NAAN is to provide education for the children where we offer standard lessons next to vocational training skills to develop self-sufficiency including carpentry, mason, wood processing, selling and negotiating on the local market and basic bookkeeping. We stand beside this vision completely and that is why we decided to support NAAN for a long period of time.

Ravian and Renate visited the school for a second time in January of 2015 and there they talked about how to practically give the support. The idea of a foundation was born. They made contact with Marianne and Marion back in the Netherlands to further the plans for the foundation. The foundation became official on October 12 2015.