Lifeline/Childline Namibia offers a lifeline to thousands each year

In Namibia, where social challenges often leave children and families vulnerable, one organisation has carried the responsibility of care for nearly half a century.

Lifeline/Childline Namibia, established in September 1980, has spent over 45 years building a national service that provides counselling, protection, and support to communities across the country.

Its toll-free helplines, 116 for child-related concerns and 106 for gender-based violence, remain the only national services of their kind, offering confidential assistance to thousands of vulnerable individuals every year.

The organisation was created to respond to the absence of counselling services in Namibia. Nicolette Bessinger, director of Lifeline/Childline Namibia, said the founders recognised the lack of safe spaces for children and families to seek confidential support. “Organisations like ours typically emerge from a recognised gap, a community need that isn’t being met,” Bessinger said. 

Lifeline/Childline Namibia is formally recognised as a Child Protection Agency under the Child Care and Protection Act. Its responsibilities include preventing abuse, reducing risks of self-harm, and promoting safety in digital spaces. Bessinger said all these efforts are connected to building safer communities. “At the core, we’re addressing gaps in child protection, mental health, and gender-based violence support in Namibia,” she said. 

In September 2025, Lifeline/Childline Namibia marked its 45th anniversary under the theme 'Voices Heard, Lives Changed, 45 Years of Hope'.

Its programmes have made a visible difference. In Kavango West, parents were guided on how to navigate the challenges of raising children in a digital environment, while learners were educated on the dangers of online exploitation. Bessinger said that these initiatives show how the organisation equips communities with tools to safeguard children. “Our Parenting in the Digital Age training reached 100 participants, and our Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse awareness campaign reached 1 075 learners,” Bessinger said.

The organisation’s approach underlines that lasting protection for children begins at home and within the wider community. Bessinger said that this reality is reflected in one of its key programmes. “The Positive Parenting Programme (PPS) is a good example. The organisation’s work increasingly recognises that child protection cannot be sustained by social workers, police or NGOs alone. The family and community are the first protection environment for a child,” Bessinger said.