Our Staff
The Centre is run by a team of dedicated staff. The teaching staff is a reflection of the variety of our learners, with a range of different home languages and hailing from different parts of Namibia. What they all have in common is a passion for hands-on education.
In the Preschool we have two teachers with a Montessori Pre-primary Teaching Diploma and two Montessori students studying with Headstart Montessori Training College in Walvis Bay.
The Daycare Centre has one qualified Montessori teacher and two teaching assistants who are also Montessori students.
Management
Mr. Ignatius Namaseb is the school and facility administrator as from July 2019. He has more than ten years’ experience in working with NGO in finance and administration sector.
His is responsible for financial administration, upkeep & development of school ground, general and office administration, afety and security, human resource development, maintenance of building, furnishing and fittings, close liasion with parents, centre exploittion, recruitment and registration of learners, public relatins and fundraising and technical support.
I am from Usakos and residing in Windhoek I enjoy working at Wake Up! to take the centre to the next level in terms of administration.
Ms. Jolandi Seibes has been the principal at Wake up! since January 2019 and she works in the preschool as a teacher. Jolandi started in 2015 at Wake up!
“I started working at Wake up! in September 2015 working with the toddlers. I became intrigued with the Montessori method of teaching as it is so hands-on, presenting and explaining ideas in a practical way which children can understand, before moving on to the abstract concepts which they will need to work with later. By observing children you get to know what to present to them next, that is how you build up their knowledge. The Montessori method has inspired me to start studying at the Montessori Teacher Training College, as I have a dream to have my own pre-school one day. The board of trustees appointed me as the new principal of the Wake up! Centre this year (2019) and I saw it as a great opportunity to gain more experience. I was thrilled to take on the new challenge. The whole team of Wake up! is privileged to soon have 3 more classrooms at our disposal and I believe with the guidance of the board of trustees we will use them productively."
Ms Loes Bellaart has been working in Namibia for 20 years in training, community development and pre-school education. She is the founder of the Wake up! Centre, previous Teacher/Principal and presently an advisory member of the Board of Trustees.
"I like a dynamic job, where you can actually make a difference, building up a school and seeing children grow day-by-day. It’s an intense job but very rewarding! I enjoy preparing themes for the children to broaden their horizons, making them more aware of all the exciting things around them ready to be discovered."
Pre-school
Ms. Loide Shilongo is a teacher who always has an inviting smile on her face. She comes from the north of the country and speaks Oshiwambo. She has worked at Wake up! since 2014, starting to work with the toddlers and now managing one of the preschool classrooms.
“I am honoured to work with the children and give them a start in education. I enjoy my job very much. At the end of last year I obtained my teaching diploma and I even want to study further to increase my knowledge, working with children."
Daycare centre
Ms. Jacqueline Kaambo was born and raised in Otjinene in the Omaheke region.
“I recently completed a certificate in Early Childhood Education from the Namibian College of Open Learning. I did my internship at Wake up! and now I work as assistant teacher with the toddlers. Studying and working with children is for me a dream come true as I love taking care of them in every way. When I had my own children I started thinking of getting training in handling young children, to add to the knowledge and experience I already had from helping my mum raising my siblings. It is a privilege to be at Wake up! as I had two children at the centre of which one has now left for Grade 1. Working at Wake up! is a great opportunity doing what I love the most and for my children to get the best foundation for their future”. Teacher Jacky, as she is called, will be starting Montessori Teacher Training in 2019.
Ms. Maria Hausiku is one of our junior staff who started as an assistant in the daycare centre two years ago. She will be starting Montessori Teacher Training in 2019.
“Being at Wake up! has helped me to mature and learn to be patient with children. I have learned how to handle different characters in my group. I love being a teacher. The profession of teaching is very interesting and enjoyable."
Ms. Thalita Ndengu has been with the centre from the very start in 2010. She comes from the East of Namibia, speaks Otjiherero and is living with four daughters in the informal settlement of Otjomuise. Thalita received her diploma in 2015 and obtained an additional Level 6 qualification in 2017. She is a very positive, engaging teacher who likes to challenge the children to give their best. By the time her toddlers leave for the pre-school class, they have gained the basic skills to do their work independently and enjoy the wider variety of pre-school activities.
"I love to work with small children, to see them in the future with a smile on their face saying 'Teacher Thalita, I love you.' I love them too."
After-school care
Ms. Elisabeth Tsuses is from Klein Aub, a small town about 200 km south of Windhoek. Elisabeth previously worked at Wake up! in 2014 for a year and she returned in May 2019 with more experience. Elisabeth is a caring person and the children love her. Elisabeth would likes to see many more children at Wake up!
"I like the Montessori way, the way the children learn. I like the way the kids go from toddler to preschooler. Teaching is a beautiful thing and it’s nice. It makes the kids clever. After preschool the kids are ready for grade 1. My daughter, Helvi was at Wake up! too. She is now in grade 1 and she can already read, write and speak very good English. She definitely learned that at Wake up!"
Ms. Tuisira Muariani works as a caregiver looking after the preschool children who stay at school after lunch, when school officially is over. She hails from the east of Namibia and speaks Otjiherero. Tuisira has worked for Wake up! since 2013 and in 2019 will have her third child in our preschool. Tuisira offers the children various playful activities: puzzles, construction activities, art, dressing up, games and at the end of the day she oversees the playground until the last child has been picked up.
Support Staff
Mr. Josef Shigwedha is our Oshiwambo caretaker. He lives on the premises of the centre and takes care of the school grounds, any odd jobs and our security. He is also in charge of our school garden, which needs daily attention and in particular water. Josef is an albino, which for some children has been something to get used to and after that is quickly accepted. Many albinos in Namibia have had a bad start in life as they are shunned and not well looked after. At Wake up! Josef has found his niche.
"I like my job. I like the centre and the whole school community: the staff, the children and the parents".
Ms. Martina Kambatuku has been with Wake up! almost from the start, cooking lunch for children and staff and cleaning tirelessly every day. She has been trained as a Chef Cook and can take on catering on request. She has been baking muffins and cookies to raise funds for the centre as part of our fundraising efforts. Her son Kamuyarukwa was at Wake up! for 3 years and is doing very well in school.