A 28-year-old single mother of five is seeking help after a fire gutted her home on Monday, destroying her belongings.

The incident in Zilitene, in the Katima Mulilo rural constituency, is believed to have been caused by a child who, according to witnesses, lit a section of the thatch, causing the fire to spread rapidly.

The owner of the house, Kachana Chetile, relates that she left a pot of beans on the fire and went to visit next door. She says shouting about a fire breakout led her to run outside and see what was going on. 

She said with the help of a neighbour, she managed to remove some blankets from the house, which were the only items they managed to save.

She lost furniture, clothing, identification documents and groceries as well.

"Four of my children are school-going; if there is anyone who can help us, their school uniforms burnt, their stationery, everything. If there's anyone who would want to help, I'm asking for help, especially since it's winter; everything is gone. I don't even know if they will be able to go to school tomorrow. Everything burnt inside, birth certificates, IDs, all of it burnt, except for the blankets we managed to take out."

She has asked the constituency office and regional council for assistance with a temporary shelter while she figures out what to do next about her home.