Cooking up a storm for Side-by-Side
Celebrating inclusion and disability awareness
The Side-by-Side Early Intervention Centre, in partnership with Wanderers, LearnOn1 and Special Olympics, hosts their second annual potjiekos competition on Saturday, 4 October 2025, at the Wanderers sports fields in Windhoek.The event, held in the lead-up to World Cerebral Palsy Day on 6 October, honours the memory of Elandri, a young girl with cerebral palsy who inspired the creation of the competition. It aims to bring families, friends and communities together in a celebration of inclusivity while raising awareness about disability.
Centred on the popular Namibian tradition of cooking potjiekos, teams of four can enter at N$2 500 per team. Each team will represent a disability chosen by one of the children from the Side-by-Side Centre.
Stalls will be decorated according to themes, with teams preparing their own unique potjie dishes. The winning team will walk away with a memorable prize: each member will receive a Gondwana voucher for two people for two nights.
In addition to the cooking, inclusive sporting activities will form part of the day, allowing teams to earn extra points while promoting active participation for all.
“Disability is often surrounded by stigma,” said Michelle Zeelie from the Side-by-Side Early Intervention Centre. “Many people see it as negative or even contagious, but it is simply a medical condition. People with disabilities are human like us – they need love, inclusion and the same opportunities. This event is about breaking misconceptions and embracing everyone’s unique abilities.”
Organisers promise a day filled with food, sport, fun and awareness – but above all, unity.