October 2011 Edition No. 7

Transcription

1 Quarterly October 2011 Edition No. 7 MCA Namibia - October 2011

2 Contents Millennium Challenge Account NAMIBIA Reducing Poverty through Economic Growth Table of Contents About MCA Namibia and MCC... 3 CEO Foreword... 4 MCA-N firmly on track two years on... 5 Elephant or Tree?... 7 Farmers Learning New Farming Techniques in Communal Areas... 9 Learning to negotiate a Joint Venture Household Survey Data Public MCA gave us a great opportunity say Chandre and Agatha Celebrating the Marula (Omagongo) Tree Wildlife Translocations Namibian tourism Markets itself online MCA-N awards new Contracts for Schools Indigenous Products Showcase a success MCA Namibia Bulletin Millennium Challenge Account Namibia Atlas House, Sam Nujoma Drive P.O. Box Windhoek Telephone: /418 Fax: Website: info@mcanamibia.org publicoutreach@mcanamibia.org Layout & Design: Medu-Letu Graphix Printers: John Meinert Printers Stories & Pictures Contributers: Eline van den Linden Kandi Shejavali Bennett Kahuure Mwazi Mwazi Dave Cole Martin Wilkinson Stefan Botha Rosa Hamukuaja-Thobias This supplement has been produced by Millennium Challenge Account Namibia 2011 Reserved MCA Namibia - October 2011

3 MCA Namibia & MCC About MCA Namibia The Government of the Republic of Namibia signed a grant funding agreement, the Millennium Challenge Account Namibia (MCA-N) Compact, of US$ million on 28 July The five year implementation commenced (Entry Into Force) on 16 September The Compact aims to reduce poverty by increasing the competence of the Namibian workforce through the strengthening of access to quality education and training, and increasing productivity of agriculture and off farm enterprises in communal areas. The Compact also aims to promote growth in Namibia s tourism industry. The programme is implemented by the (MCA-N) Management Unit within the National Planning Commission, in close co-operation with Government beneficiary sector ministries and agencies. MCA-N has adopted a result and business-oriented approach to successfully execute project activities in Education, Tourism and Agriculture. For more information on MCA-N, please visit our websites at About MCC The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) was established in January 2004 as a United States government corporation to implement the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA). MCC seeks to reduce poverty by supporting sustainable and transformative economic growth in developing countries that create and maintain sound policy environments. The MCC s mission is to reduce poverty through economic growth. For more information on the MCC, please visit MCA Namibia - October

4 CEO CEO Foreword Dear Reader, The third quarter of this year, signified the second anniversary of the start of the MCA Namibia Compact. On 16 September 2011 we started our third year of operations. These past three months between July and September were marked by discussions and negotiations around meeting the last Conditions Precedents by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and talks around co-funding with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry. Positive progress was made and Government partners urgent attention has been devoted to areas proving to be a challenge. In this third quarter we launched the Conservancy Development Support Services (CDSS) in the Caprivi and Omusati Regions. Some 133 conservancy committee members and staff received training on preparing an annual general meeting, financial management, benefit distribution planning, event booking systems and game counting. The Nkasa Lupala lodge in the Caprivi Region is among the first joint venture initiatives supported by MCA Namibia under this Conservancy Development Support Services Grants facility. MCA-N also supported the Namibia Tourism Board with an online marketing campaign that will put the tourism industry on the map globally and attract visitors to Namibia. To this end, MCA-N contracted Solimar International team that hosted a consultative meeting to gauge the needs of tourism industry players. The rehabilitation and upgrading of the schools is also making progress. With construction at the first thirteen schools in the Oshana and Omusati Regions nearing completion. Together with the Ministry of Education the MCA-N works hard to get the thirteen finished schools fully resourced and staffed by the start of the 2012 school year. MCA-N handed over new sites in the Ohangwena Region to contractors. At these sites, 10 schools and one Regional Study Resource Centre (RSRC) will be renovated and upgraded and one RSRC will be constructed. Also under construction is a RSRC in Oshakati. In our Agriculture Project, farmers in the Northern Communal Areas were exposed to new farming techniques such as livestock reproduction systems and the selection criteria of breeding stock, causes of infertility in bulls and cows and factors influencing the reproductive cycle in cattle, goats and sheep. A detailed progress report on the activities that we implemented these past three months is presented in this bulletin. This quarter also saw us planning ahead for the third year of the MCA-N Compact, culminating in our Annual Implementation Planning Workshop, where spending targets for the third year were agreed upon between MCC and MCA-N. Consultations and the sharing of information with MCA-N stakeholders remain high on our agenda. We believe it is vital to implement the programme hand in hand with our communities. They are at the centre of our efforts. During my frequent site visits and contacts with beneficiaries in communities, I receive positive feedback on our programme. We are establishing bonds of friendship with communities, which will be sustained throughout the implementation of the Compact and beyond. We also received a special visitor from Washington this quarter. MCA-N was pleased and honoured to host the MCC Deputy President for Compact Implementation for East and Southern Africa, Andrew Mayock, who was in Windhoek from September. Mayock, participated in the Implementation Planning workshop, observed and familiarized himself with the implementation progress to date. Thank you for making this long journey to Namibia. We appreciated your visit. Penny Akwenye Chief Executive Officer: MCA Namibia 4 MCA Namibia - October 2011

5 Two Years On track MCA-N firmly on track two years on The US$ 304 million MCA-N programme that helps Namibia develop important key sectors like education, agriculture and tourism, is well on its way. After just two years of operation significant results have been booked. Looking at the different programmes and their results, most targets have been reached on time, or even ahead of schedule. Process Output Activities undertaken and milestones achieved, e.g. value of signed contracts or percent of contract value disbursed Products and services produced, e.g. number of facilities constructed or number of farmers trained In the Education Project almost half of the funds earmarked for the supervision contracts for the building and rehabilitation of 47 schools have been distributed. The construction contracts themselves have been slightly delayed with 20 percent of contracts distributed against a target of 45% in year two of the compact. A staggering amount of almost 670,000 textbooks was handed out in an extra effort to supply learners with basic teaching materials. In the Tourism Project, the renovations of tourism flagship Etosha National Park are on track and earlier this year an award-winning new website was launched for the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB). In the important area of strengthening community conservancies tourism potential, a key survey was completed ahead of schedule and over 470 game animals were trans-located with support of the MCA-N in order to stock conservancies. The Agriculture Project delivered an amazing contribution to the massive exercise of electronic ear tagging and the development of sound rangeland management programmes to improve marketing in the Northern Communal Areas (NCAs). A large number of Communal Land Board members was trained to speed up land registration, while the disbursements under the Indigenous Natural Products (INP) innovation fund exceeded expectations. Measuring Progress It s the mission of MCA-N to reduce poverty through economic growth and results are what it is all about. After all, our achievements serve as a measure of the impact that we are having on our beneficiaries. While the ultimate outcomes and objectives of the compact cannot yet be assessed, at the end of our second year there are many results to celebrate that indicate that we re heading in the right direction. In order to track progress and performance through all phases of implementation, the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan includes indicators at multiple levels such as: process milestones, output, outcomes, objective, and goal. Each of these is defined as follows: Outcome Objective Goal Immediate effects of outputs on beneficiaries, e.g. number of farmers adopting new techniques or additional female students participating in MCA-N funded activities Higher order effects of outputs on beneficiaries, e.g. improved quality of education or improved income of conservancy members The final contribution of the programme to development, e.g. lessening the poverty rate, reducing the unemployment rate and increasing household income. Contracts Awarded from September 2009 September 2011 Number Total Value 140 US$ million Figure 1 below provides a snapshot of the overall Compact budget versus commitments (i.e., contracts) entered into, with a breakdown by the three Projects, the M&E function and Programme Administration Figure 1: Compact budget versus commitments as on 30 September 2011 Compact budget in US$ millions Commitments in US$ millions While practicing prudence in the management of financial and other resources (all of MCA-N s audits to date have been clean), MCA-N is disbursing funds (which is another way in which to measure implementation) at a good rate. The cumulative disbursement amount by the end of September 2011 (see Figure 2) is expected to reach a rate considered to be above average in comparison with Compacts in other countries at the same time period of implementation. MCA Namibia - October

6 Two Years On Track Figure 2: Compact budget versus projected expenditure up to 30 September 2011 Looking Ahead Despite the many milestones to celebrate, much remains to be accomplished in the remaining 3 years of the MCA-N and our staff is hard at work to ensure the accomplishment of all our targets. In doing so, we engage closely with our implementing partners (four Government ministries and two state-owned enterprises) and other key stakeholders. This way the programme will be implemented with maximum impact and a focus on sustainability. In the process we support improved data gathering quality in Namibia so that our Government partners are able to tell their own success stories, based on credible information. Ultimately, our goal is to make a significant positive contribution to Namibia s development. To gauge progress toward the achievement of the outcomes, objectives and goals, the MCA-N tracks performance against indicators and targets. At the end of year two the following detailed overview of accomplishments can be given: EDUCATION PROJECT (US$145 million) The Education Project is the largest component under the MCA Namibia programme and aims to close the gap between the country s learners and the needs of its industry. The programmes matches the quality of the workforce to the requirements of the labour market at large by supporting new and innovative methods of learning and by improving physical infrastructure for learning and teaching in schools, Regional Study and Resource Centres and Communitybased Skills Development Centres Compact budget in US$ millions Projected expenditure up to 30 Sept 2011 in US$ millions Education Tourism Construction and Rehabilitation of up to 47 schools 45% of funds disbursed for design/supervisory contracts for 47 schools (target for Y2: 52%) 20% of funds disbursed for construction, rehabilitation and equipment contracts for 47 schools (target for Y2: 45%) 24,570 students benefiting from the upgrade of 47 schools (target for Y2: 27,936) Vocational Training Contract signed for Namibia Training Authority advisor on 6 July 2010 (target for Y2: 1 February 2011) Value of vocational training grant funds awarded through the MCA-N grant facility: US$730,644 (target for Y2: US$900,000) Textbooks 669,751 textbooks delivered to schools Completed: textbook baseline study; textbook storage plan; and procurement contract Regional Study Resource Centers 60% of funds disbursed for design/supervisory contracts for RSRCs (target for Y2: 57%) TOURISM PROJECT (US$67 million) MCA-N s Tourism Project is a first for the Millennium Challenge Corporation. The programme acknowledges tourism s tremendous potential to alleviate poverty in Namibia s rural areas. By bringing conservancies in high potential tourism areas into the mainstream of the tourism business, the programme increases the financial and inkind benefits to rural people. The MCA Namibia Tourism Project also enhances regional and international marketing of Namibia as a prime tourism destination through the Namibia Tourism Board. Finally, it supports management and infrastructure improvements for Etosha National Park. Etosha National Park Completed Galton Gate Plan (21 September 2010) Completed Road maintenance equipment handover (1 September 2010) 6,291 = kilometres of roads and fire breaks within ENP maintained by MET Marketing in Tourism 18,778 unique visits on NTB s award-winning website in the last completed quarter Conservancy Support Completed Conservancy Needs Assessment (31 March 2010, two months ahead of target) 476 game species translocated to conservancies with MCA-N support (target for Y2: 445) Value of grants signed under the Conservancy Development Grant Fund: N$1,579,785 6 MCA Namibia - October 2011

7 Elephant or or Tree? Agriculture Livestock Number of cattle tagged with RFID tags: 565,248 Value of signed contracts for design/supervisory services for State Veterinary Offices US$1,249,588 (target for Y2: US$1,200,000) Value of grant agreements signed under the Livestock Efficiency Fund: US$2,334,351 (target for Y2: US$1,500,000) Community-Based Rangeland and Livestock Management Completed ahead of schedule: contract signed with facilitator and selection of Rangeland Intervention Areas Community exchange visits: 5 (target for Y2: 0) Communal Land Support Number of communal land board members and traditional authority members trained: 479 (target for Y2: 500) Indigenous Natural Products Value of grant agreements signed under the INP Innovation Fund: US$924,134 (target for Y2: US$ 610,000) Number of Primary Producers Organisations with signed service contract: 48 (target for Y2: 15) AGRICULTURE PROJECT (US$48.6 million) The Agriculture Project seeks to increase farmers cash income derived from livestock farming in the Northern Communal Areas (NCAs) through improved veterinary services, traceability, and rangeland management. It also empowers Communal Land Boards, traditional authorities and other key stakeholders to better manage the available resources. Finally, the Agriculture Project increases direct participation of the primary producers in the addition of value to natural products such as Marula, Kalahari Melon Seed, Hoodia, Devil s Claw and Ximenia. As implementation progresses, outcome and objective level indicators will start to come into play. Elephant or Tree? n MCA-N supported Land Management and A Registration training session in Oshana had participants in stitches, but they learned a valuable lesson. Eline van der Linden, deputy CEO for implementation of the MCA-N, was there and reports. Fresh from the plane and after a one-and-a-half hour bumpy car ride I arrived at a one week training on land management for traditional leaders and their entourage. The training was held at the Uuvudhiya Regional Council office in the Oshana Region. I walked into a big party tent where, the training session was in full swing led by Louise Shixwameni, the Training Adviser for Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) the company that is contracted by MCA-N to implement the Communal Land Support activity. Louise and her colleagues were keeping participants active and engaged. Clap-clap-clap, loud applause concluded each contribution from the floor. MCA Namibia - October

8 Elephant or Tree? In awe of the good attendance, with more than 10 large tables filled with a colourful group of community leaders and their secretaries and advisors, I quietly found a seat. Aided by one of the young professionals involved in the roll-out of land registration I was able to follow the training session and role plays with interest. A bed sheet, a jacket and some rope. Dressed in these simple household items, a Communal Land Support Team trainer was turned into an elephant. The elephant soon became the centre of attention. Blindfolded members of the group were led to touch the jumbo, but only in one place at the time: the tail, the trunk, the skin, the feet. They had to guess what they were touching. Was the tail maybe a twig? The trunk, a tree branch? The skin, the bark of a tree? And the feet, were they perhaps tree trunks? Laughter filled the tent. How could they all get that so wrong? Could they not guess it was an elephant? The powerful message behind the story was that to make a well-informed decision over the dispute of a piece of land you need to have all the facts. Only having one piece of information is not likely to result in a good decision. So Traditional Authorities should embrace a holistic approach when resolving land disputes. In these Land Management and Registration trainings, part of the MCA-N mandate to strengthen land registration, the Communal Land Support (CLS) Team makes use of techniques which trigger a positive response from the target audience. Visual materials, role plays and interactive verbal communication are often used to drive the message home. During a break Louise explained to me that every night at the campfire the groups practice their assigned role Brother in law greeting the Headman: negotiating for the land of a late relative. plays for the next day. It is loads of fun, she said. It is a great group activity, especially while we are all camping here in the outback. Having felt the positive energy filling that big party tent, I could only imagine. After lunch, NBC Radio arrived and set up shop. Community members had been invited to come and attend a live radio show and a small group of people had gathered in front of the Regional Office. Combining the training sessions with live radio shows provides good exposure to the land registration effort. We want as many people as possible to know that the land registration is in process and how they can benefit from the presence of the land registration teams in the area, said Louise. Training and mobilization go hand in hand and give the Traditional Authorities an opportunity to interact with the wider community. The charismatic and popular radio presenter Simon Kondjashili Mapeni asked me to explain how MCA Namibia fits into the land registration programme. I told him that the MCA Namibia is supporting the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement (MLR) to fast-track the registration of land parcels in the Northern Communal Areas, through training, mobilization and technical support to the MLR teams in the field. I left the group with a happy heart and full confidence that the community leaders would be in a better position to resolve land disputes and facilitate the registration of land parcels in the communal areas of the North. Hands up to the CLS team: clap-clap-clap! g 8 MCA Namibia - October 2011

9 Farmers Learning Farmers Learning New Farming Techniques in Communal Areas Most of the retailers and open markets in the Northern Communal Areas (NCA) still buy their meat from commercial farms south of the Veterinary Cordon Fence. Less than 10 percent of beef traded in North Namibia originates from the NCAs themselves, despite the huge numbers of cattle in the area. This was revealed by Gesellschaft für Organisation, Plannung und Ausbildung (GOPA) marketing expert Luc Courtois during two recent animal husbandry workshops in Rundu and Opuwo, organized by MCA-N. Courtois who spoke about livestock marketing and value addition to meat, concluded that there is need for a survey to pin down the reasons behind fragmented livestock marketing in the NCAs. The workshops were aimed at complementing traditional methods of livestock production and rangeland management in the NCAs in order to increase meat production. I really learned a lot from this training, especially on the topics of body condition scoring and estimating the age of cattle and goats, said trainee George Tjimbundu from Etanga Agricultural Development Centre. He also applauded GOPA and the facilitators for the well-organized and detailed training workshops. The GOPA Consortium is implementing a Community-Based Rangeland and Livestock Management (CBRLM) programme in the Kavango, Oshikoto, Oshana, Omusati, Ohangwena and Northern Kunene Regions. The two training workshops, George Tjimbundu from Etanga Agricultural Development Centre found both the practical and theoretical aspects of the training extremely helpful. I really learned a lot from this training, especially on the topics of body condition scoring and estimating the age of cattle and goats. You can estimate the age of an animal by checking the number of permanent teeth lasting a week each, focused on livestock production issues and the training of trainers involving field facilitators. Apart from GOPA experts, trainers from the Agribank/GIZ funded Farmers Support Programme were present, discussing implementation of the CBRLM strategy, as well as issues around herd structure, nutrition, reproduction, marketing and data collection. The participants also engaged in practical lessons at a local farmer s kraal where they were taught how to restrain animals, score body condition and estimate an animal s age through checking their teeth. An important part of the training, facilitated by GOPA livestock expert Dr. Edmore Masaire, focused on comparing current livestock practices in the communal areas with improved models. This presentation also dealt with the changing environment and climate, modern farming system requirements, consumer demands and market forces. Key to improving production, reasoned Masaire, is to apply sound animal husbandry principles leading to better animal health standards and reduction of infectious diseases that up till now keep the NCAs out of lucrative export markets. Masaire showed how diseases spread and how they can be prevented by applying controlled herding, which restricts continuous grazing. Trainees were told that cattle needs approximately six hours to graze and three hours to rest. So in order to get good returns from livestock, farmers should give them sufficient time to find enough good feed and clean drinking water. Masaire also focused on reproductive systems in livestock and causes of infertility to aid the farmers in selecting the right breeding stock. g MCA Namibia - October

10 Joint Venture Learning to negotiate a Joint Venture The delegation receives an update on the White Lady Joint venture lodge from the Tseiseb Conservancy Chairperson Nicky Gaseb To experience first-hand what tourists feel like when they visit community conservancies, MCA-N through its Conservancy Development Support Services (CDSS) project, sponsored an exposure trip for 12 people from Ehirovipuka and Omatendeka, two upcoming conservancies in the Kunene Region. about the advantages and disadvantages of JV partnerships, and to see a variety of JV lodges and agreements in operation, and assess the opportunities and challenges they are faced with. I am very pleased with the outcomes of the training and the trip. Altogether, we have learned quite a lot with regards to our rights and responsibilities, added Ehirovipuka Chair, Asser Uiaha, after visiting fellow beneficiaries. We have learnt the importance of a business plan, an environmental management plan, how to analyse a financial offer, the empowerment plan, job creation, the rack rates, the occupancy rates and how the income for the lodge is calculated. Most importantly we learnt how to use the dashboard effectively during the Joint Management Committee meetings. The trip to Tseiseb, Twyfelfontein-Uibasen, Torra and Khoadi-//Hoas conservancies, held from 7-10 September, was preceded by a theoretical workshop in Windhoek on how to successfully manage a Joint Venture (JV) with a commercial lodge owner or tour operator. Through its world-renowned Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) programme, Namibia has given far-reaching tourism rights to community conservancies. These can range from guided tours, to trophy hunting and selling crafts. As most conservancies During the exposure trip, participants experienced being tourists in their own right and viewed different types of accommodation including up market lodges and the services provided at these facilities. We could really feel first-hand what a tourist likes, how he feels, how negative it is to the business when our cattle invade the tourism zone, said Kaupasaneua Tjeundo, Vice Chairperson of the Ehirovipuka conservancy in Kunene Region after the trip. The training aimed to expose the two conservancies to other communities with JV partnerships, to learn from supporting NGO s and from Government officials The delegation briefly poses for a photo opportunity after the meeting with the Twyfelfontein-Uibasen conservancy 10 MCA Namibia - October 2011

11 Joint Venture lack capital and experience, the government encourages JVs with private operators that result in job creation, increased household income and skills-transfer. However, it is important that both private operator and community members know their role in the joint management of the conservancy and that conservancies understand different aspects of a joint venture. Through the training organized by the MCA-N, conservancy members learned to apply business and tourism principles relevant to JV activities. The trainees were taught how to create awareness of the benefits from tourism in general and from the Joint Venture partnerships at a conservancy level in particular. They also learnt how to analyze different theories and models relating to tourism JVs, and how to equip their conservancies with the skills and confidence to deal with private sector players. Omatendeka and Ehirovipuka have a huge tourism development potential because of their vast, unspoiled sceneries and abundant wildlife. The spectacular views and plentiful game make these consevancies very attractive for private sector operators. Both conservancies will soon embark on such JV negotiations with private parties. It was an eye-opener in many ways, said Alfons Uarije, community liaison for Omatendeka Conservancy. We spoke to our fellow conservancy committee members, in particular the Tseiseb conservancy that has ongoing The delegation having formal discussions with the management at Damara Land Camp JV between Wilderness Safaris and Torra conservancy. unresolved issues with its lodge management. I have learned that conservancies should involve the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, NGO partners and other stakeholders in the process of evaluating offers, negotiating and signing agreements, and not just sign and look for the partners to solve problems which arise when the joint venture partner does not honor the agreement. The training was very informative, concluded Uaetena Mbinge, Vice Secretary of the Omatendeka conservancy. It is especially important to be able to provide visitors with first-hand information at all times. What we do in the conservancy is not only important for ourselves, but for tourists as well. They want to see how their money is benefiting the communities. g Major Household Survey Data Public Fieldwork for the 2011 round of the MCA-N funded Community-Based Rangeland and Livestock Management (CBRLM) household income and expenditure survey was recently completed. The survey data will inform the CBRLM impact evaluation and will provide stakeholders with important information about the status of beneficiary households at the start of the programme, especially in terms of wealth, income, livestock offtake and participation in livestock/rangeland management programmes. In the interests of transparency and accessibility, the public will be able to access the dataset and related documentation via the MCA-N Achievements link on MCA-N s website ( MCA Namibia - October

12 Study Loans MCA gave us a great opportunity say Chandre and Agatha The first 15 graduates of a MCA-N sponsored hospitality training at the Wolwedans Foundation are finding their dream jobs. It is always busy here and the work is very interesting, says an enthusiastic Chandre Prinsloo from behind the reception of the Arebbusch Travel Lodge in Windhoek. The 19 year old recently finished her level 2 hospitality course at the Wolwedans Desert Academy and now works as a receptionist at Arebbusch. The training at Wolwedans was hard but fun, Chandre recalls vividly. When we got to the Desert Academy it was winter and freezing cold, but I was kept busy with the many visiting Italian tourists and I soon made friends with my fellow trainees. The Wolwedans Foundation s hospitality courses are co-sponsored by the MCA-N which provides training grants to eligible candidates in skills sectors that the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) Industry Skills Committee defines as high priority. Chandre Prinsloo behind the reception of Arebbush Travel Lodge while Wolwedans HR Manager Taimi Malima looks on As part of the grant obligations Wolwedans helps the successful trainees to find work. Taimi Malima, the HR and Admin officer at Wolwedans gets 90% of the credit for finding me this job, explains an elated Chandre. She was just so helpful and motivating. I am thoroughly enjoying my experience at Arebbusch and the staff here are very friendly and supportive, Chandre, who loves to cook and wants to become a pastry chef later in life is using her new salary to buy lots of cookbooks and to save for future studies. Graduated from grade 12 in 2010, Chandre was part of a group of 30 trainees that started hospitality training in January of this year at Wolwedans two training centres; the NICE Restaurant in Windhoek and the Desert Academy in the South. During the training the NTA assesses the trainees to check that the 15 are compliant with the unit standard. The best 15 trainees will stay at Wolwedans to continue to Level 3 hospitality qualification. The remaining trainees that passed Level 2 are assisted by Wolwedans to enter 12 MCA Namibia - October 2011

13 Study Loans the workplace and start earning a real salary. Wolwedans helps the trainees with CV-writing, developing interview skills and researching the job market. This way the training recipients will qualify to fill the existing skills shortage experienced by the hospitality industry. Appearance, time management and language proficiency are essential skills I look for when hiring a receptionist, says Arebbusch front office manager Maria Szabo about the qualities that people in the hospitality sector need to possess. Wolwedans is uniquely obliged by the MCA-N agreement to teach these skills to their trainees during the courses. So that the student s employability and future service delivery is enhanced. Happy at the Hilton Agatha Amadhila is 21 years old and is very excited to be working at Windhoek s prestigious new Hilton Hotel. Agatha Amadhila at the Hilton Hotel where she works at the Front Desk Office MCA-N has given me this great opportunity, I have to do well. I am working hard to complete my probation successfully, Agatha smiles confidently. Normally, I could only have afforded this training through a loan which would have been a heavy financial burden and almost impossible to obtain, says Agatha. Having completed her studies at St. Josephs Roman Catholic School in Döbra, just outside of Windhoek, Agatha applied for the hospitality course at Wolwedans Foundation and she was very pleased to be selected. The atmosphere at Wolwedans was vibrant and friendly, the experience at the Desert Academy in the South was wonderful and we met a lot of German tourists, recounts Agatha. Stephan Bruckner of the Wolwedans Foundation was so friendly and interactive, I wish more managers and owners in the tourism industry would be like him, she praises the inventor of Wolwedans self-sustainable tourism ventures. The coursework was quite hard, but the tests that Wolwedans set for us were actually more challenging than the NTA assessments, so we were well prepared. It s my ambition to work at the front desk of a major hotel and that means I have to learn about the different aspects of the hotel business. There are always calls, deliveries and other duties to perform, so I am learning a lot. I am very happy to be at a hotel of such a high international standard, says an exuberant Agatha. When asked about the salary at the Hilton, she is a bit coy. It s enough, it s really really enough! she giggles. I m treating myself now for studying hard, but next year I will save to continue my studies. MCA-N wishes Agatha, Chandre and the other Wolwedans graduates a very successful career in the tourism industry. g MCA Namibia - October

14 Marula Festival Celebrating the Marula Tree Crowds at the Omagongo (Marula) Festival 2011, approximately 1000 people attended The Omagongo (or Marula) Festival, held annually in July, is a celebration of the significance of the Marula tree and its products for local communities. The festival has an important cultural role, bringing people together and promoting unity among the different communities of Namibia. This year the event, that rotates between no less than eight Traditional Authorities, was hosted on the 16th of July by the Ombadja Traditional Authority in Okalongo. Traditional Authorities travelled from as far as the Karas Region to attend the festival. As part of its mandate to further Namibia s development by promoting the use of natural products, MCA-N decided to support an Omagongo (marula wine) competition. This is in line with the existing support MCA-N is providing to Indigenous Natural Products (INP) producer and processor organisations. Many of those being supported are producers of marula kernels for oil extraction at the Eudafano Women s Co-operative factory in Ondangwa. The winners of the Omagongo competition from the Onembaba district receive a Marula Fruit Pressing Machine 14 MCA Namibia - October 2011

15 Marula Festival In this spirit we sponsored the cost of two marula fruit presses and a cooler box as a prize for the best three Omagongo producers. With the donation of modern marula presses to the communities, MCA-N wants to promote innovative processing techniques that are more efficient and can improve the income opportunities of rural women in Namibia. As a courtesy from the MCA-N, invited dignitaries received Marula Food Oil produced by the Eudafano Women s Cooperative. The marula wine competition saw four districts within the Ombadja Traditional Authority contesting for the top spot. These were Onembaba, Omutundungu, Ondudu and Onandjaba. But it was Onembaba that eventually claimed the honour of being the first-ever winner of the Omagongo competition. Serving Omagongo during the tasting competition The recipients of the two marula presses appreciated MCA- N efforts to promote the use of more efficient processes of making Marula juice or (Omagongo). They indicated that the presses will help them to produce more marula in a more hygienic way and that it would enable them to increase marula production and sell the surplus marula juice to generate extra income for their households. g At the start of the Omagongo festival, Omagongo (Marula) is presented in clay pots to open proceedings MCA Namibia - October

16 Wildlife Translocations Wildlife Translocations Now I know that my children will be able to see these animals in the field and not just read about them in a school textbook, said an elderly man in the Sikunga conservancy in the Caprivi Region after the conservancy was restocked with fresh herds of game. MCA-N continues to support community conservancies to attract tourists by providing them with different game species from private farms. Under the Compact we have already sponsored the move of hundreds of animals to conservancies all over the country. The latest translocation during the month of August saw giraffes, red hartebeest and waterbucks, some 222 animals in total, transported across Namibia to find a new home in five Northern conservancies. So far, animals have been donated to Khoadi //Hoas, Sikunga, Mudumu North Complex, Mudumu South Complex and Twyfelfontein conservancies. Namibia s wildlife is one of the principal reasons tourists visit the country. Many conservancies have suitable habitats for wildlife, and greater game populations increase their attractiveness for visitors Game translocations not only boost wildlife populations in communal conservancies, they also have positive A herd of Waterbuck in a holding boma Giraffe being off-loaded from a truck into a boma at Uibasen-Twyvelfontein conservancy, one of the MCA-N target conservancies biodiversity gains outside the established parks or protected areas, with healthy game numbers proliferating all over the country. MCA-N in this way helps rural communities to be empowered as resource managers, who not only derive benefits from wildlife, but who also assist the Government in achieving national biodiversity goals. Even more important, the ability of conservancies to generate benefits from wildlife has created a shift in attitude from living in animosity with the environment, to a feeling of ownership, management and pride. In the Aba-Huab River for instance, translocated giraffes will contribute to improved quality of the game drives that are conducted by about six Joint Venture lodges. These joint ventures between private operators and conservancies already deliver substantial benefits to the communities. Similarly, the translocation of waterbuck in the Caprivi region conservancies will improve the quality of game viewing in nine of 31 conservancies targeted by MCA-N. The introduction of game is greatly appreciated by conservancy members as it improves not only the tourism benefits, but also contributes towards the cultural education of future generations. g 16 MCA Namibia - October 2011

17 Tourism Market Namibian Tourism Markets itself Online An exciting new campaign will benefit Small and Medium Enterprises, tour operators, lodge-owners and Bed & Breakfast owners in the tourism sector. MCA- N has contracted internationally acclaimed tourism promotion firm Solimar International to develop an online marketing campaign for the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) This campaign is expected to put Namibia on the map as a tourist destination with international allure by engaging an interactive community of travellers, media practitioners, trade partners and NTB brand ambassadors, communicating actively and positively about Namibia through social media. Participants at the meeting sharing ideas To bring the tourism industry up to speed on the latest e-marketing techniques and assess the needs of Namibian operators Solimar held a consultative meeting on 18 August 2011 at NICE Restaurant in Windhoek. This meeting was an eye-opener, says Maureen Dunn an upcoming entrepreneur who owns a B&B in Windhoek s Rocky Crest suburb. A rookie in the industry, she is hopeful that the online marketing campaign will allow NTB members like herself to get better access to clients. Many tourism businesses fail or do not get off the ground because they lack the skills and opportunity to market MCA Namibia - October

18 Tourism Market themselves locally and internationally, Dunn says. So I am happy to be exposed to this marketing campaign as it will open doors for my business internationally. The campaign is slated to kick off in January Solimar will start by optimizing the new award-winning NTB website in the page rankings of the most popular search engines and link the site to social media such as Facebook and Twitter. After the online marketing strategy and business plan are in place, Solimar will train NTB staff in e-marketing and improve the online presence of NTB s international offices. Through this campaign the MCA-N helps the NTB acquire the tools and institutional capacity to fully integrate online and social media marketing into the country s global marketing strategy. Optimising online and social media presence will result in an increase in tourists visiting Namibia, contributing to the sustainable development of the country. g Maureen Dunn owns a Guesthouse in Rocky Crest attended the meeting Chris Seek from Solimar International engaging the Namibian Tourism Industry 18 MCA Namibia - October 2011

19 Schools MCA-N awards new contracts for schools Site Handover meeting at Nanghonda Junior Secondary School With the renovation and upgrading of the first 13 schools in the Omusati and Oshana Regions due to be completed in December 2011, the MCA-N awarded a second contract for the renovation and upgrading of 10 schools in the Ohangwena region. It also awarded the construction of two new Regional Study and Resource Centres (RSRCs) in Oshakati and Helao Nafidi. Nexus Building Contractors (Pty) Ltd successfully bid for 5 schools and the RSRCs. Stefanutti Stocks (Pty) Ltd was the successful bidding contractor on the remaining 5 schools. Site handovers for the RSRCs took place on the 7th June MCA-N together with supervisory consultant Se[ARCH] Team, the contractor, representatives of Ministry of Education, elected community committees and other interested parties were present. Site handovers for the 10 schools took place from 29 June to 1 July 2011, together with overseeing consultant Omugongo Joint Venture. g One of the cracked building to be renovated at Onankali Combined School Celebrations at the Shikudule Combined School site handover MCA Namibia - October

20 Indigenous Products Indigenous Products Showcase a Success Packaged Marula Oil arious products from Namibian Indigenous Natural V material and products were showcased in Windhoek on 15 September 2011 at the PhytoTrade Finished Products Fair. The fair was sponsored by MCA-N in collaboration with PhytoTrade Africa. This is the first time that a platform was offered to exhibit various locally and internationally manufactured products containing ingredients from Namibian Indigenous Natural Products (INPs). The majority of the exhibitors were Namibian INP producers, who proudly presented an astonishing range of creams, oils, perfumes, lipsticks, medicine, shampoos, moisturisers, snacks, spreads, drinks, and so on. The objective of the showcase was to demonstrate and present final consumables which include ingredients, extracted for their unique properties of Namibian INPs, such as Xemenia, Devil s Claw, Kalahari melon,!naras, Marula, Baobab, Mopane, Commiphora, Hoodia, etc. Businesses and individuals working with INPs in Southern Africa met informally, exhibited products and shared information and experiences about processing, packaging, branding, marketing and other related issues. Medicine extracted from the tubers of Devils Claw and marketing of products for Small and Medium Enterprises. He also shared tips on packaging and marketing, regulatory compliance and documentation, sales and finance requirements, necessary to accomplish the registration of a marketable final product. This is regarded as important for the primary producers and processors organisations, who supply the raw materials for these sought- after consumables. MCA-N supports the Namibian primary producer and processor organisation to improve their livelihoods, by developing an understanding of the underlying processes required to register and sell a product in the international market. g South African formulation chemist and organic skincare expert Trevor Steyn, presented the seminar on packaging Cosmetic products on display 20 MCA Namibia - October 2011