Northwest Namibia Community Outreach

Kindergarten for Otjikondavirongo Conservancy, Orutjandja Community  

Through the airstrip usage agreement by Hoanib Valley guests entered into between Hoanib Valley and the Orutjandja community, the community duly requested assistance with the construction of a kindergarden for their children in their endeavor to lay a strong education foundation their children. This initiative goes hand in hand with Natural Selection’s objective and area of desired impact in the communities we partner with. The Kindergarden was built and handover to the community and has been operational since February 2024.

Sesfontein School Support
Rural Schools in remote areas face tremendous challenges due to limited government budget and priorities. Some challenges such as school equipment repairs are sadly neglected, a situation that directly negatively affect delivery of education. A necessary and appropriate intervention was recently made to help the school with the repairs of some old chairs and tables. This support is intended to motivate and inspire academic excellence especially for the under privileged learner by offering financial support to cover for needs such as paying for school fees, stationery, school uniform and educational aid books. The support is offered on an annual basis to learners who are selected by a selection committee based on a criteria that was developed to ensure fairness, transparency and merit. The selection process and continuous evaluation is meritorious and aboveboard as the assistance is periodically reviewed based on the academic performance of the learners.

Community Support
The Sesfontein Conservancy office was recently destroyed by an unexpected windstorm. Natural Selection took the initiative to make an impromptu contribution towards the repairs by donating bags of cement to the conservancy at their recently held meeting. Natural Selection staff members continue to pour their hearts out for the less privileged through their clothing donation initiative at the Windhoek office. Recently a significant consignment of clothing and other items was donated to the elderly at Sesfontein by the team.

WILDSHOTS

An exciting partnership between Natural Selection and WILDSHOTS successfully conducted basic photography for the second year in a row. This was rolled out in three different areas involving a total of 48 unemployed youths benefiting from the program. The intention is to recruit from these group especially at entry level opportunities

Giraffe Conservation Fund Support

The unique partnership between Natural Selection and Giraffe Conservation Fund continues unabated with the project fully embedded into the guest experience at the camp. Guides continue to do camp chats on the project.

NW Nambia Rhino Reintroduction and Monitoring

Rhino conservation remains the most crucial area of conservation priority especially in areas outside the park in emerging breeding areas in communal conservancies. As part of Hoanib Valley responsibility and commitment, two Rhino Rangers salaries, food and accommodation has been paid on a monthly basis since the camp started. Additional ad hoc support, such as transport, additional food rations, and fuel is also provided to both the Sesfontein and Puros conservancies.

Natural Selection have also recently funded the Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) rhino translocation initiative. Protecting the largest population of free ranging black rhino anywhere on earth Save the Rhino Trust Namibia (SRT) has been working in the rugged Kunene region for more than 40 years. Their approach is to engage and empower local people in rhino protection efforts. This is a central piece to their community-based rhino protection model under partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT). The Puros community conservancy is part of the desert black rhino’s range, but SRT does not have an active presence here. SRT have been partnering with conservancies, in an effort to ensure successful expansion of breeding areas for this iconic species and are proposing a partnership with the Puros Community Conservancy to manage the reintroduction and ongoing active monitoring of rhino with the help of community rangers. Natural Selection will be the primary funders of this SRT initiative.