FlyNamibia September 2022 by Venture Media

TOMORROW.BETTERTODAY.GOOD

1FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022 www.flynamibia.com.na flynamibia safari adventure lifestyle conservation economic pulse looking global explore cape town home!meTake copyfreeYour are compiled by Venture Media’s content team, in partnership with Tribefire Studios and freelance contributors. Stories in FlyNamibia Magazine . from the publisher This is us. and also by Tribefire Studiosstories.Namibianextraordinary digital.film.print.marketing.contentgeneration.contentpublishing.FIRE CONTENT IS www.flynamibia.com.nahome!meTake copyfreeYour ISSUE 8 ISSUE AUGUST 2022 www.flynamibia.com.na copyfreeYour Ondan gwa Th e is u e “But how could you live and have no story to tell?” - Fyodor Dostoevsky Venture Publications (Pty) Ltd. PO Box info@venture.com.naNamibiaWindhoek21593 is for Awesome... and Ads. To advertise in FlyNamibia magazine contact fly@venture.com.na.A Read this issue online! Cover image: JC Nazarii See more on page 40.

2 141016 contents Table of Content is Fire 01 Collaboration is the future. FlyNamibia Magazine is a compilation of Namibian stories sourced by Venture Media that entertain and surprise with interesting topics, introducing you to a new generation of trendsetters and Namibian personalities. Welcome on Board 08 Excited about all things FlyNamibia Fashion Fierce 10 How Serbia based Namibian blogger Kondja Veii expresses herself through fashion Life on a Table 13 Chai Tea Cake to delight What's Happening 14 Don't miss any of these exciting upcoming events Joyce visits the Zambezi Region 16 Follow the face of FlyNamibia on her adventures Wellness 21 How to embrace the constant change and trusting the timing of your life The Lone Men of Kaokoveld find their way to Venice 22 Namibia’s most loved stone sculptures are featured at the globally acclaimed Biennale d’Arte Good Vibes Only 24 Your monthly dose of feel good news from Namibia and abroad. The Tribe 27 Award-winning local musician Dixon on how it all comes together in the studio Shop Local-ish 28 The most unique local lifestyle brands and products to support and inspire

3FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022 Economic Pulse 32 Could Namibia follow suit and implement a universal health coverage scheme? Royal Hustlers 33 Reem El Sherif on breaking boundaries, embracing diversity and leading with conviction Looking Global 34 What is the “great resignation” and how to prevent it from hitting your business Seven Art Galleries to visit in Windhoek 36 Explore the capital’s growing arts scene with these must-visit galleries Ralph Ellinger appointed as CEO of CYMOT 39 After serving as MD/CEO for close to 20 years, Axel Theissen has recently decided to hand the reins over to Ralph Ellinger. 10 Minutes with Local Taste Makers 40 Chelsi Shikongo shares the triumphs and mishaps of her reign as Miss Namibia Paratus Pioneers Africa’s digital transformation 43 The world class data centre dubbed Armada, on Windhoek’s outskirts Photography Feature 44 Pekelatate Haindongo on taking photography from hobby to full-time profession Foodies 50 Goodfellas Pizza & Pub is the backbone of the capital’s social scene The value and virtue of vultures 52 Why Namibia’s vulture population is ever-important post-pandemic What will 1700 satellites per year mean for Africa? 58 Translating the expected global growth to market possibilities for the African continent Did You Know? 63 Fun facts, important dates and Sudoku. 245444

INTRODUCING THE REVAMPED LIGHTHOUSE IN THE SOUTHERN TOWN OF LÜDERITZ BOOK ONLINE OR C ON TACT US ! www.nwr.com.na +264 61 285 7200 / +264 64 402 172 reservations@nwr com.na / sw.bookings@nwr com.na

Need To Knows. with FlyNamibia Select which tickets you would like to purchase We offer multiple fare options such as: Saver, Classic or Premium Baggage policy, sporting equipment, over weight luggage or to add an additional bag(s) Read up on all our additional information reagarding terms and conditions, and tick the selection box once completed to continue. Passenger details Please enter names as they appear on passport or travel documentation LOGIN to upload passenger details from previous booking. Additional flight information / rules Fill in your payment details in our DPO paygate to make final payment. Payment Transaction confirmation will be sent to passenger email entered. Confirmation Mail More options for the perfect trip Choose your ticket How to buy a ticket online Check-in prior to flight Check-in opens 1h 30min before domestic flight and 2 hours before international flight. Online check-in opens 24 hours before departure of the flight on Fly Namibia How can you make a payment?Cashpaymentat:ErosAirport,OndangwaAirport,OranjemundAirport Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Online transactioncard You can also purchase from: Windhoek Eros Airport Office SkyLounge Eros Ondangwa airport office Rundu airport office Katima Mulilo airport office All major travel agents Hosea Kutako airport office MAX Per20kgperson Items NOT allowed in hand luggage:Lotionsand aerosols above 100ml, flammable aerosol, sharp objects, i.e. nail files, nail scissors, Leatherman, matches. restrictionsLuggage Check-in CLOSES 30 min prior to flight PayToday app Buddy SuperApp Check-in luggage

Ondangwa - Toivo ya Toivo Eros Airport Cape Town Oranjemund

Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:30

WindhoekTO DAYS

Windhoek CapeWindhoekFROMTown Cape Town

Windhoek KatimaWindhoekMulilo Katima Mulilo

WindhoekTO DAYS DEPARTURE

SwakopmundFROMSossusvlei Sossusvlei

Windhoek Windhoek

Windhoek CapeWindhoekTown Cape Town SundaySunday

OranjemundWindhoek Oranjemund

CONNECTING YOU TO

SossusvleiTO DAYS

Swakopmund Windhoek

+264 83 339 0011www.flynamibia.com.naFLIGHTSCHEDULE Schedule as per date of going to print. Please check the FlyNamibia website to stay updated on flight destinations, routes and schedules. Windhoek, Ondangwa, Rundu, Katima Mulilo, Cape Town, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund and Etosha DOMESTIC FLIGHTS REGIONAL FLIGHTS SAFARI FLIGHTS OndangwaWindhoekFROM-Toivo Ya Toivo Ondangwa - Toivo Ya Toivo Ondangwa - Toivo Ya Toivo

Windhoek WindhoekRundu Rundu

Windhoek OndangwaWindhoek-Toivo Ya Toivo

Windhoek WindhoekEtosha Etosha

Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun 16:00 16:50 17:40 18:30 Mon, Wed, Fri Mon, Wed, Fri 08:00 09:30 10:10 11:40 Wed, Fri, Sun Wed, Fri, Sun 11:00 12:25 13:10 14:40 ARRIVAL Mon, Thu Mon, Thu 12:20 13:50 14:30 16:00 Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri 06:50 08:50 09:50 11:50 14:00 16:00 17:00 19:00 DEPARTURE ARRIVAL Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 09:00 09:40 10:20 11:10 Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 12:10 13:10 13:50 14:50 Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 15:50 16:40 Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 17:20 18:00 Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 16:30 17:30 DEPARTURE ARRIVAL

Sossusvlei Sossusvlei

Hi, hello & welcome

Across Namibian skies

9FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022

Spring is in the air and the last stretch of 2022 is in front of us. At FlyNamibia we are excited about all that the rest of the year has in store for us. Beauty and hope is always on the horizon, as exciting as the dramatic sunsets the September evening skies bring. With never-ending possibilities of new schedules and exciting adventures that are always waiting in the wings. We had so much fun during August - especially as we once again went on adventures with Joyce - the Face of FlyNamibia. This time it was off to Rundu, the capital of Kavango. From learning about birding (who would have thought that this would be a skill this city-girl would learn), cruising on the Okavango and discovering the nooks and crannies of this northern town. Look out for the stories in our October issue!

ONWelcomeBOARD

Flights with FlyNamibia can be booked online via our website (www.flynamibia.com.na) or with any travel agent. You can also book your next Namibian adventure with TravelStart. Our contact centre operates on a 24/7 basis and can be reached at +264 83 339 0011 Happy flying! The FlyNamibia Team

We are welcoming additions to the schedule this month, particularly the Eros Windhoek and Ondangwa route. As of 7 September we will be including an afternoon flight on Wednesdays between these two Namibian hubs. As our schedule is constantly expanding, be sure to always check our website for updated flying times and routes. Each adventure is a new story to tell As you may have noticed in the past months, the pages of FlyNamibia magazine are dedicated to sharing Namibian stories, ideas and information. We love highlighting proudly Namibian brands, innovation and creativity and invite you to submit any stories or creative partnership ideas to our editorial team for consideration. Collaboration is the future and there are so many incredible creatives and proudly Namibian stories that await across our country’s endless horizons. Contact the team by sending an email to fly@venture.com.na and they will be in touch. Don’t forget to follow the magazine pages on social media for more great Namibian content!

FlyNamibia Safari is in full swing with the returned influx of tourists to the country. Our FlyNamibia Safari scenic shuttle flights operate from Windhoek Hosea Kutako to Namibia’s top tourist destinations daily. These destinations currently include Sossusvlei, Swakopmund and Etosha, with expansion always on the horizon. If you’re a local wishing to see more of your own country, or visiting us from afar, our scenic flights pair nicely with our scheduled operations to iconic Namibian destinations such as Ondangwa, Rundu, Katima Mulilo and Oranjemund. Our Windhoek to Cape Town route operates six days a week. That’s our motto afterall - Connecting you to the very best of Namibia, and beyond!

10 SimićMilancredit:Photography

An oversized blazer is key, says Kondja. Other wardrobe staples she recommends are a button-up shirt for its versatility as well as a little white dress. “It will never let you down,” she says. As for the brand she’d shop for the rest of her life, she names Net-A-Porter, an online resource that houses over 800 luxury brands from across the world. “They host bi-annual sales, so it’s a great way to get your wishlist and high-end pieces for less,” says Kondja, who clearly has mastered the tricks of shopping high-quality brands for less. At the moment, her fashion obsessions include sunglasses, cut out dresses/tops and thong bikinis. While she isn’t as in tune with Namibian fashion as she would like to be, Kondja has a few local designers on her radar. “@couture_by_kim on Instagram has these romper/jumpsuits that I saw recently and that now live rent-free in my mind. And of course, Ruberto Scholtz’s dresses are so dreamy, it would be my wish to one day get to wear one.”

As a mom, she hopes to inspire fellow moms to embrace their bodies through all their phases. “As our bodies change after creating and giving life it’s important to feel good in your body in its current state while working to make it the body you feel your best in. Confidence comes when you are most comfortable. Wear what makes you feel good and focus on the parts of your body that you love, and emphasize them,” she says.

Fashion expression according to Kondja Veii I

Of Herero-Namibian and Antiguan descent, Kondja grew up all over the world and is currently based in Belgrade, Serbia, with her family.

11FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022 Fashion Fierce

I recently reached out to this fellow Namibian fashion blogger to talk about her blog, how she got into fashion writing and her style story. Global citizen

She continues to use fashion as an expression of her passion, and describes her personal style as simple and timeless, but chic. Looking at her countless outfit posts on her Instagram, one cannot help but marvel at how beautifully curated Kondja’s wardrobe is.

To watch her style continue to evolve, follow Kondja’s journey on her blog, or follow her on Instagram @heyprettyface_

“I think, in general, your personal style develops as you do. Different seasons of your life bring about those unconscious style changes based on your lifestyle and you kind of just let it flow that way. I do, however, have an eye for clean lines and negative space, so that influences a lot of my style choices today,” she says.

Rukee Kaakunga is a Windhoek-based Communications Specialist, Blogger and Freelance Fashion Writer. Contact her via email: rukeekaakunga@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @rukeeveni and on Instagram @rukeekaakunga.

Fashion with meaning

Like many fashionistas, her love for clothes started at a very young age. She says: “My style journey began like that of most young girls wanting to be a designer. But I never wanted to be a designer of your typical pretty gown dresses. I had a love for men’s tailoring and women’s lingerie and would spend my weekends doodling and sketching looks. From an early age I loved androgynous looks, the cheekiness of mixing a tailored suit with peeks of lace or string. I thought that was so edgy.”

A fashion blog that touches on lifestyle elements, heyprettyface.net is Kondja’s creative outlet that she uses to not only showcase her personal style, but also to “build a network of like-minds, stylishly dressed bomb moms and everyday women with a genuine sisterhood attitude.”

t’s a very rare feat to find consistent Namibian blogs to indulge in, let alone niche blogs like kondja veii’s fashion Situatedblog.at heyprettyface.net, the blog features Kondja’s style story – as told in her very own words and with accompanying images of her dressed in her favourite fashion finds.

Kondja’s fail-proof style tips

While absolutely stunning and envy-worthy, Kondja’s style posts are refreshing in the sense that she uses them to also spread body positivity. She is known to post raw, unfiltered images that show her body in its most authentic state –stretch marks and all. This kind of awareness of the impact of her content is something that Kondja strives to maintain.

“I am a style/lifestyle blogger and a stay-at-home mom (who’s never really home),” is how Kondja describes herself.

12 Not For Persons Under The Age Of 18.

A little bit of milk for the consistencyright Discover more of Antoinette's delicious recipes in Life on a Table To order your copy contact Bonn Nortjé at Venture bonn@venture.com.naPublications:

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5 eggs, room temperature 2.5 ml vanilla essence 750 ml cake flour 5 ml ground cinnamon 5 ml baking powder 2.5 ml bicarbonate of soda 2.5 ml salt 250 mlForbuttermilktheicing125gbutter 375 ml icing sugar 5 ml vanilla essence 10 ml ground cinnamon

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Preheat the oven to 180°C. Beat the butter, sugar and tea powder in a big mixing bowl until light and creamy. Add eggs one by one while still beating. Stir in the vanilla essence. Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a separate bowl. Add the buttermilk to the butter mixture. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture. It should be stiff but very creamy and light. Pour into two round (24 cm) cake tins and bake for 30–45 minutes. Let cool.

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BurgerHentie

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This was the wedding cake when our friends Christelle and Stahl got married at a lodge in the Outjo district, and I knew that I had to have the recipe. 375 g butter 375 ml sugar 125 ml Chai tea powder

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13FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022 Foodies •

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• Cream butter with sieved icing sugar. Add the vanilla, milk and cinnamon. Mix until you have a creamy paste to spread over the cake. Cover the whole cake with icing and enjoy! CAKE

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CHAI TEA

14 What's happening.FinkensteinBushMarket8am-1pm What: Day market for the whole family, to support small local businesses, eat and relax in nature. Where: Finkenstein Estate, a 20 minute drive from Windhoek on the B6 Free entrance Visit @finkensteinbushmarket short films are showcased. 2 September 2022 10 September 2022 Drag Night What: A live variety entertainment show celebrating self expression, music, dance, fashion and performance art. Where: Café Prestige at the Franco Namibian Cultural Centre Damage: N$80 at the door; table reservations essential Visit @dragnightnam Simply You Magazine Lifestyle & Fashion Awards What: Awarding the Namibian creative industry, from radio hosts and comedians, to makeup artists, models and photographers. Where: National Theatre of Namibia Damage: N$250; tickets available from WebTickets Visit 17@simplyyoumagazinenamSeptember2022

What:

Award-winning Nigerian artist, whose 2020 show was cancelled due to the pandemic, includes Windhoek on his new album tour. Where: Venue to be announced Damage: N$350–550; tickets available from WebTickets Visit @simplyyoumagazinenam Kalahari Vastrap 2022 8am-11am What: A music, food and family festival hosted by ARU Game Lodges, featuring performances by John Rock Prophet, Radio Kalahari Orkes, Synth Peter and local artists. Where: Farm Veronica, Blumfelde, Namibia Damage: N$1000 for a full weekend pass Visit www.aruvastrap.com24September2022 25 September 2022 30 September & 1 October 2022 The Big ReThink – Careers of the Future What: An inspiring presentation for learners, teachers and parents, and insights from industry experts about careers of the future. Where: Windhoek High School (WHS) Main Hall Damage: N$100; tickets available from WebTickets Email info@whocanhelpmykid.comAreyouhostingapublic event? List it with us by contacting fly@venture.com.na 22 September 2022

Burna

Boy, Love Damini Tour

15FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022 Joe’s Beerhouse Car Boot Sale 8am-1pm What: The public sells their second-hand goods, right out of their car boots. Where: Joe’s Beerhouse parking lot Free entrance Email admin@joesbeerhouse.com

Joyce Nghiishililwa, the Face of FlyNamibia, was recently invited to join Gondwana Collection’s I Laugh Namibia film crew in the Zambezi. Read all about her first visit to the region, what they got up to and why Joyce had a sleepless night.

Joyce visits the RegionZambezi

At the beginning of July I was invited to accompany the I Laugh Namibia team on their trip to the Zambezi Region. I Laugh Namibia is a travel reality show and a Gondwana Collection initiative. I like to describe it as an entertaining and informative comedic show hosted by the funniest 50-year-olds I’ve ever met, Lazarus Jacobs and Neville Basson. They travel through Namibia, stay at Gondwana Lodges, uncover the beautiful destinations and engage and interact with people from different cultures.

17FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022

What was this trip all about?

The crew’s flights were proudly sponsored by Fly Namibia, ensuring that we safely got to our destination and back, with simply the best hospitality on the plane. A very big thank you and shout out to the airline! Without this quick mode of transport the crew would have spent an entire two days on the road just getting there. What did you do, see and experience in the Zambezi Region? Wow! A word I would use to sum up the Zambezi Region. I was in absolute awe. We landed smoothly in Katima Mulilo and explored part of the town for a while before we had lunch at a Portuguese restaurant. I will never forget this because I had my first-ever Rock Shandy there, which is a drink lots of Namibians know and love.

I honestly enjoyed all of it. Every part of the trip was marvellous in every respect. But if I had to choose: ‘hopping’ from one lodge to another, one river cruise to another, and seeing so much wildlife was the highlight for me. Tell us about your sleepless night. What a night at Chobe River Camp, our last stop in the Zambezi Region. I marvelled at the beautiful view of the river from the stoep of my tented chalet and expected to have a pleasant peaceful sleep that night. I could not have been more wrong. I had fallen asleep, exhausted by the days’ exciting activities. At around midnight I was woken by the sounds of trees swaying in the wind, creaking noises from the wooden floors in the room, and a constant flapping and something like footsteps from the back of my room. Gosh, was I terrified. I was sweating and didn’t dare to move, as not to make a sound.

We hopped into our Namibia2Go rental cars and a short drive later arrived at the equatorial-looking Namushasha Lodge with its huge, tall palm trees at the entrance. We wasted no time and got straight onto the boat for a cruise on the Kwando River. As the boat gently moved down the river, beautiful water lily flowers appeared around the banks and a soft river breeze was blowing throughout the ride. What a surreal experience!

The Zambezi is a whole different Namibian experience. It has so much to offer, people really need to explore it. The mellow sunsets, tall green trees, the palms and rivers flowing throughout the year should be enough reason to visit. Forget long hours of travel to see the Zambezi! FlyNamibia takes you there in just under two hours with stunning aerial views of the region, skipping traffic and bumpy roads – keeping your back intact!

Little did I know that the flapping came from the window flap that I had forgotten to zip up when I went to bed. But then there were growling noises… At that point I was breathing shallower by the minute. I was completely frozen! The next morning I found out that it was a bunch of elephants, lions and hippos making the noises far away. There was nothing I had wished more than to see the sunrise after that night! Why should Namibians visit the Zambezi, with a quick flight to Katima?

Our final stay was at Chobe River Camp, where we saw elephants, buffalos and so many crocodiles. We even had a braai on the boat, while cruising on the Chobe River. This was really unforgettable. The entire Zambezi experience was almost unreal, very dreamlike for me. Which part of the trip did you enjoy most?

Our next destination was Zambezi Mubala, a beautiful lodge right on the Zambezi River. From the deck we could see Zambia across the river. From the gorgeous, boutique-like curioshop to the wooden walkways leading to the rooms and the impressive architectural features and stunning designs in the rooms, I was wonderstruck. Here we tried our hand at fishing again, this time more successfully. Lazarus caught a small tiger fish and Neville took all the credit. They are so silly!

The following day we were back on the boat, on a mission to catch some fish. I saw hippos for the very first time. They are so much bigger than I imagined! We had a lovely boat excursion in Bwabwata National Park, all the way to Horseshoe Bend. We saw all kinds of animals including the ‘wambos’ Lazarus and Neville were joking about. They called the zebras ‘wambos’, because they are abundant everywhere, just like us.

19FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022

t sounds like such a great mantra to live by – ‘to trust the timing of your life’ – but in reality, when things do not go according to our inner timeline, we usually panic or freak out. Think about a moment, like when the plane is delayed (although that hardly ever happens on a FlyNamibia flight), or a traffic jam delays our arrival at the airport. Moments like these have a way of putting paid to calm reasoning. Yet, as we have discussed before in this column, to surrender is to claim back a certain power in your life. When we recognise that we do not control the sun rising each morning but yet it does rise, we remove a huge amount of stress we have in thinking we can control everything. Life is not something we can control, we can only control ourselves and our reactions to things. Have you ever noticed that oftentimes the things that are not in accordance with our inner timelines, produce something better than we could have imagined? Have you stopped to notice how the day you got stuck in a traffic jam on the way to the airport, you still managed to make the flight and also you bumped into an old friend from primary school that you had not seen in years? Often these kinds of ‘coincidences’ would never have occurred if you hadn’t been delayed. That is why we should trust the timing of our lives. We never know what life is trying to bring us, and the surprises happen in its twists and turns. Our mind is always trying to take control of everything it comes in contact with. That is the nature of the mind, and it is doing this to try and keep us safe and make our lives better. But we fail ourselves if we don't accept ‘what is’. Everything happens at its own pace and there is no way to skip ahead.

21FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022 Wellness

There is no life hack to the natural process of things and you can't hurry up life's timing. When we try to force our timing on life timing we simply create stress for ourselves.

Trusting the timing of your life

The timing of your life is trying to bring the best for you. When you trust this truth you can allow your mind to surrender.

Surrender is at the heart of all spiritual paths: no practice is more powerful or profound. Surrender is not a strategy: it is the profound absence of strategies. Surrender is the recognition of the fact that what got you to where you are is the combination of the good and the bad experiences you have gone through. Brianna West writes, “One day, the mountain that is in front of you will be so far behind you, it will barely be visible in the distance. But the person you become in learning to get over it? That will stay with you forever. And that is the point of the mountain.”

Recognise that where you are now took overcoming challenges and hurdles. Those difficulties and obstructions led you to this moment, to where you are now and who you are now. When you look at it like this, you can perhaps even be thankful for the challenges… for ‘the mountain’. When you can be thankful you put your headspace in this different frame of mind and that is really good for mental wellbeing. This is what it means to trust the unfolding mystery of life. Sometimes things seem frustrating or difficult in the moment, but we don’t know where that moment is going to take us. Perhaps (i.e., as is usually the case) it is going to take us somewhere amazing, show us something incredible and if not… it’s going to help mould us into someone even better than who we were yesterday.

Kirsty Watermeyer

Keeping watch under a scrawny tree in Hartmann’s Valley. Crouching on a rock watching the traffic pass below, willing travellers to look up and notice him. Nobody knows where another one will appear.

A herder saw it first. Breaking the horizon on a flat plain amongst rounded red stones strewn over the vast landscape where herders know every tree, bush, track and form. In the land where the only predictable changes are the colour of the landscape as the time of day or the seasons pass or when the grass cover hides the stones after good rains, first green then gold. What the herder noticed had not been there before. He saw it close to a two-spoor track – a strange silhouette against the blue sky. Had he taken another route in another direction it would have blended perfectly with the rocky hill behind it. His good fortune was to have walked that way, otherwise he would not have been the first to see it. What he saw was a Lone Man of the Kaokoveld. Just sitting. “Waiting for number 38” reads the metal tag by his feet. And from there the discoveries of Lone Men of Kaokoveld took flight. Nobody knows how many there are and where they are.

Travellers to Kaokoveld, the most remote part of Namibia, became fascinated by the stone figures. Namibians became protective of them and wanted to treasure the magic and excitement of noticing them in the most unexpected places. We hate it when tour guides give clues to one another with obvious little stone piles next to the road. And we detest it when spoil sports share GPS coordinates on silly 4x4 groups or are too lazy to get out of their vehicles and walk to a Lone Man to introduce themselves when they spot one. After many years the secret of the Lone Men and their creator are still well hidden, although the story about their existence is now exposed to the world. Earlier this year, on an island in the lagoon of Venice, a few Lone Men appeared as part of this year’s famous, globally acclaimed Biennale d’Arte. On the Island of La Certosa they stand watch for the duration of the event.

Hanging from a rock near Sesfontein. Walking towards the setting sun.

23FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022

The Lone Men of Kaokoveld find their way to Venice

GOOD VIBES ONLY

Source: The Namibian

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has published the 2021 tourist arrival statistics. Compared to 2020, when the whole globe came to a standstill, foreign visitor arrivals in Namibia increased by 40%, to a total number of 232 756 tourists last year. The ministry’s report states that there was also an increase in the average length of stay in Namibia from 19 days in 2020 to 24 days in 2021. This is welcome news for the travel, tourism, hospitality and catering sectors, where 4 349 people were recorded losing their jobs over the last two years.

The centre depends on donations.

LOCAL

The Walvis Bay Child and Family Centre is the only one of its kind in the community. Young adults are also engaged at the centre with needlework, baking, woodwork and gardening, which helps to generate much needed income for the centre and stimulates older dependents.

Source: The Namibian

Walvis bay Child and Family Centre beacon of hope since 1996 Good news from Namibia and around the world Formula 1 star, Lewis Hamilton stunned by Namibia’s beauty Tourism industry on upwards trajectory after pandemic Seven-time Formula One champion, Lewis Hamilton, recently ventured to Namibia’s south on holiday. The British race car driver posted about his experience on all his social media profiles, including six photos of activities in and around Sossusvlei – like a hot air balloon adventure, quad biking and a visit to Dune 45. Hamilton described the breakaway to Namibia as ”a lifechanging reset” and “one of the most stunning places I’ve ever seen with my own eyes. Words and pictures do not do it justice.” In 2020, Lewis Hamilton was listed in Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.

The 120 children who are dropped off at the centre every day receive two meals, therapy, education and playtime. For 26 years the centre has been dedicated to serving children and families with disabilities, disorders and disease.

Source: The Namibian

Historic 190% increase of tigers on the brink of extinction in Nepal

THE GLOBE

The village of Long Newnton in Gloucestershire in the UK used to have a problem with speeding. Apparently, drivers tend to go faster in areas they are moving through frequently, and neither speed-limits nor warning signs seemed to slow down traffic in Long Newnton. Village officials initially planted flowers on the roadside during the pandemic to improve biodiversity. But when motorists returned to the roads in numbers, the wildflowers along their frequent routes made them slow down. The psychology behind it is unclear, but evidence does show that introducing attractions like wildflowers make people believe they are entering an area that is looked after. And that makes them drive slower.

Over 101,000 kg of trash has been removed from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organisation based in the Netherlands, has managed to extract 101,353 kg of plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch over the past 12 months. The GPGP is a massive conglomeration of marine debris bounded by the North Pacific Gyre. The patch is estimated to cover 1.6 million square kilometres between North America and East Asia. “Added to the 7,173 kg of plastic captured by our previous prototype systems, The Ocean Cleanup has now collected 108,526 kg of plastic from the GPGP – more than the combined weight of two and a half Boeing 737-800s, or the dry weight of a space shuttle,” founder Boyan Slat writes on his website. The Ocean Cleanup developed its own system for large-scale garbage-gathering in the oceans. Jenny, or System 002, was launched in August last year.

British village combats speeding by planting thousands of flowers on the roadside

Source: Good News Network

Since 2009, wild tiger populations in Nepal have steadily increased to a whopping 355 individuals in 2022. Tigers were on the brink of extinction when in 2010 governments at the St. Petersburg International summit on tiger conservation set out to double tiger populations. The project, dubbed Tx2, meant that stakeholders had to crack down on poaching and the illegal wildlife trade, make large portions of habitat available and partner with local communities to safeguard the wild tiger species. Nepal’s efforts proved so successful that its wild tiger population has nearly tripled – a historic 190% increase since Tx2 was launched.

Source: Good News Network

26 You are the and we have more than reasons to get you ﬁred up

You have won the Most Disciplined Artist but when accepting that award, you arrived late on stage… Do you know what happened? Before that award was announced, we had just decided to go to the bar for a drink. Just when we arrived, we saw my album cover on the screen and that I won the award… By then it was too late, we tried to hurry to the stage but by the time we made it, the next winner was coming up to get their award.

Now in the hall of fame of legendary Namibian musicians, Dixon developed a passion for music at an early age, honing his vocal skills as a choral singer in church. His professional music career kicked off in 1995 after he met the equally talented rapper, Jericho. The two quickly bonded over their shared love for music, which soon enough resulted in some of the biggest songs to hit Namibian airwaves. The Tribe Exclusive caught up with Dixon who spoke to us about his latest work, life as a Namibian musician and notable studio moments over the years.

From my first performance, which was at the UNAM hall with Jericho, I gained my experience. From the moment they drew the curtains, I was a bit nervous when I saw the crowd but since then, I’m not scared to be alone on stage.

You must have had some crazy studio experiences, what was the worst one? There was a time I came to the studio, I had a nxa vibe and was ready to record and make some magic. But when I came there, the producer was not in the mood.

You are always alone on stage, what does that do for your performances?

When I listen to my music, yes, but not when I look at the lifestyle. You know, our fans are there but they don’t buy things, they love and want the music but they don’t want to take out the money and pay for Dixon to perform. That’s not gonna break me, though…

What do you think of the new sounds that have come out, and how do you put your own twist on these genres?

27FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022

Stay up to date with Dixon’s music journey by following him on social media: Dixon Na on Facebook and dixon_na on Instagram.

You know, when Amapiano hit our streets I was like ‘ok’, you don’t know what I can do. When I hear a beat, I just get into my vibe and the lyrics come. What can we expect from your latest album? This is album number six for me. It has Magaisa, some Amapiano and some R&B as well. With this album, I want to show what I’m capable of.

Do you feel like a Namibian award-winning artist?

THETRIBE

Watch The Tribe on One Africa TV (GOtv 90, DStv 284, DStv Now) every Friday at 18h30 with repeat shows on Saturdays at 17h30, and Mondays at 21h00. Alternatively, listen to The Tribe on 99FM every Friday at 19h00, and follow The Tribe on Instagram @thetribenamibia and on Facebook @TheTribeNamibia.

The Tribe Exclusive –Dixon

What have been the more memorable moments? I remember how some songs were made. Like Tsororo. It was one of the special songs that I recorded in only a day. It happened on a Friday and I didn’t want to work on the weekend. When I first heard the beat, I was like what can I do with this? But then it all came together and the song became a hit.

Under the creative guidance of Katrin Bockmühl, Kabo Crafts employs local craftsmen and women who create truly Namibian home decor and accessories. Located on the top floor of the Namibia Craft Centre, you will spot Kabo Crafts with its distinct paper mache and wire animal wall mounts from a distance. Other awesome items in this shop include decorative plates showcasing unique Namibian aesthetics, as well as detailed hand-carved wood coaster sets. The Kabo Crafts workshop on farm Krumhuk predominantly uses recycled materials.

KABO CRAFTS

SHOP LOCAL -ish

The most unique local lifestyle brands and products that will guide, motivate and inspire you to express your identity.

@kabocrafts Available at the Namibia Craft Centre in Windhoek Accessories complete any outfit, but a handbag is utterly essential! Just because we need them to carry all our things is no excuse for the bag to be drab. Goddess Ma are specialists in beaded handbags, every colour, shape and strap length or style imaginable. Sporting one of these hand-made bags is sure to elevate any outfit and garner compliments. The Goddess Ma range features structured, bucket-like bags as well as their more malleable sister. Think chequered, butterfly accents, pearl bead handles, and heart shaped bags. Goddess Ma’s creativity is endless and the price point even more alluring.

GODDESS@goddess_ma_MA

29FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022

Are you a Nam or SA-based small business lifestyle brand? List your label with us for only N$750 per month. fly@venture.com.na

@naka_namibia

Did you know that our sense of smell is responsible for triggering 75% of our emotions? With a sense this strong, we ought to be paying attention to the scents we give it! NAKA allows you to choose your home’s scent from a range of three unique fragrances that come in a lovely collection of reed diffuser, room mist, scented candle and soy wax pellets. The Enchanted Garden scent has notes of citrus, frangipani and amber. Citrus Paradise features lime, lemongrass and cedar. The Cosy Cabin fragrance includes honeysuckle, cashmere and musk. Take your pick of these beautiful products and develop your very own core memories associated with the smell.

Perhaps Windhoek’s very first REAL thrift shop – Todia Thrift is the plug for high quality, vintage and secondhand clothes. If you need any more convincing, floor to ceiling rails filled with coats, skirts and shirts line the walls of the shop, making for one of those thrilling, digging-for-a-gem shopping experiences. Daily updates on the shop’s social media alert you of stock drops, highlight some show-stopping items, and inevitably lure you into the store where you will surely find a pre-loved staple. Todia Thrift also wholesales large bales of secondhand clothing, for those looking to establish their own shop or simply feed a healthy appetite for thrift.

Windhoek@todia_thriftWest,Purcell street TODIA THRIFT NAKA

Over the past couple of decades a lot has been done in terms of improving health care systems around the world. The number of low- and middle-income countries aspiring to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) has also been rising. At present, over 70 nations, mainly in the developed world, operate UHC in some form or another.

Some of the main challenges the government faces on its path to implementing UHC include raising the funds as well as improving the healthcare infrastructure and increasing the workforce necessary to make the system work. In its discussion paper on the UHC policy framework the ministry proposed a National Health Fund to fund what it calls the ‘Essential Service Package’. It furthermore proposes that the fund be based on the principle of a mandatory progressive solidarity payment, meaning that contributions to the fund will be compulsory for everyone employed, and the amount of the contribution will escalate based on a person’s economic status. The ministry went as far as to state that the payments would need to be compulsory for everyone, “otherwise the rich and healthy will opt out and there will be insufficient funding to cover the needs of the poor and sick.”

The ministry’s interventions for improving the health infrastructure and workforce are, however, less revealing.

After the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the ministry’s implementation plan, ministry officials have been more vocal about the government’s UHC efforts in recent months, and the government has set itself a target to start providing affordable health services to everyone in the country under the UHC plan from next year. This is undoubtedly a very ambitious timeline considering all the challenges that still need to be navigated.

While countries may take different paths to achieve UHC, there is at least a growing consensus on what the ultimate UHC goal is – i.e. to ensure that all people have access to the necessary health services without risking financial hardship. Namibia, too, has ambitions to implement UHC.

Furthermore, the ministry set out comprehensive plans to achieve a quality, fit-for-purpose health workforce by 2030. Executing these plans will be the government’s biggest

Convincing taxpayers to contribute more while the health ministry receives one of the largest allocations of the national budget (N$8.4 billion or about 12% of the total budget expenditure), will be challenging to say the least. Instead, the expected windfalls from recent oil discoveries could become alternative sources of funding.

In 2018 the Ministry of Health and Social Services released a discussion paper on its planned UHC policy framework.

Namibia’s universal health care ambitions

The ministry did indicate that it plans to develop physical infrastructure which includes hospitals, clinics and other specialised facilities, but that it relies on Public-Private Partnerships to drum up the necessary resources. The ministry also acknowledged the importance of accelerating training for Namibians in health-related fields and introducing scarce skills attraction and retention-incentive packages.

To sign up for the Economic Pulse newsletter, send an email to: www.namibiatradedirectory.comdaleen@venture.com.na NETWORK

It is understandable why the government is looking to implement UHC. Namibia has one of the highest Gini coefficients in the world which, coupled with the fact that the population density is among the lowest in the world, results in a situation where a large portion of the population, especially in rural areas, simply does not have access to basic healthcare and medical facilities. However, the road to achieving affordable, quality basic health care for all will be a long one, despite recent statements to the contrary.

The way the Namibian government goes about achieving this goal is also going to be crucial for the ultimate success of realising its ambitions. During a recent stakeholder consultation meeting on UHC, the ministry itself acknowledged that UHC cannot be accomplished without a strong multi-sectoral collaboration, indicating that buy-in from non-government participants will be crucial in achieving UHC. Demonstrating that it can deliver basic health care with the resources at its current disposal is vital to gaining buy-in from stakeholders. This includes resolving the financial woes in which the government’s Public Service Employee Medical Aid Scheme currently finds itself. Any rush to implement UHC before having the proverbial house in order is premature and potentially detrimental to making the envisaged health care a reality for all Namibians. Getting it wrong because of a poor foundation will impede future efforts to get it right. While setting our sights on achieving UHC someday in the future, we should not neglect our efforts in delivering better healthcare for all Namibians today.

31FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022 test going forward. If the progress made on healthcare infrastructure and workforce advancements following the pandemic is anything to go by, the government would know that realising the plans is ambitious.

UHC cannot collaboration.accomplishedbewithoutastrongmulti-sectoral

Economic Pulse Hugo van den Heever – Research Analyst IJG believes in tailoring their services to a client’s personal and business needs. For more information, visit www.ijg.net

32 0811241575/0812914362 | annagret@theskylounge.net | jamie@thesklounge.net Private Banking Clients Prestige Clients

Tune in to The Royal Hustlers on 99FM every Monday to Friday at 07h35 or rewind the 99FM App (now available on Play Store and the App Store).

ROYAL HUSTLERS

This former footballer and coach made his senior national team debut at the age of 17 and went on to play professional football for 10 years. His career highlights as a player include winning the league and two cups with Santos FC in Cape Town, South Africa. He was part of the iconic class of ‘98 that was responsible for Namibia’s first AFCON qualification, and he became the only Namibian representative at AFCON as a player and Head Coach. Ricardo is also the first coach who led the Brave Warriors to winning the COSAFA CUP in 2015, the COSAFA Plate Section in 2016, the 2018 CHAN qualification and finals in Morocco and the 2019 Egypt AFCON Ricardoqualification.hasearned his right as the people’s coach after leading the National Team through two Hage Geingob Cup victories against Zimbabwe and Ghana.

Family first While he has had his fair share of success on the pitch, Ricardo’s greatest passion is his family. “The thing that wakes me up in the morning is no longer the passion for football, it’s the passion for my kids,” says the proud father of three daughters who admits that his youngest daughters are not even fazed by his fame. Now he goes extra hard to leave behind a legacy for his family. His advice for aspiring young football players is to look beyond the glitz and glamour of the often lavish lifestyles led by famous players. Addressing both players and their parents, he emphasises how tough an environment professional football is. “If you can’t put in more work than what your coach expects from you, then football is not for you”, he says.

Ricardo Mannetti

At the time, the NFA president called Ricardo, challenging him to take up one of the most challenging roles of his career – and the rest, as they say, is history. Flourishing career

During his early years as a young football player in Cape Town, Ricardo vowed to work hard until he made it. “Every day of my life I had to perfect my craft and be the best. I learnt that, especially since my peers went to university while I chose football, I had to work harder. So, when you have a passion, work twice as Duringhard.”his time as a player, coaching was not something he aspired to but life had other plans. His call to coach the national team came only two days before Namibia played Nigeria in an African Championship game, because the coach had simply left.

rowing up in the Khomasdal suburb of Windhoek, Ricardo was exposed to a rough neighbourhood, which his parents and older siblings tried very hard to protect him from. On the other hand, his home was a beautiful haven filled with love and great memories.

The people’s coach talks turning passion to success

33FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022

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“I had a very contrasting childhood. We were very spiritual at home – church on Sundays was a must. The other side of life as a child in Khomasdal was very tough. My parents and older siblings tried to protect me and while they succeeded at times, it wasn’t always the case,” says Ricardo. This juxtaposition of realities made him the man that he is today. “I grew up to be a church guy who is streetsmart,” he says jokingly.

Discipline determinationand “At an early age, I knew that I wanted to make it in life,” says Ricardo and pinpoints things like the tsotsi (urban criminal) culture that he was exposed to as a child. But Ricardo refused to let that exposure get in the way of his dreams.

It’s time to unpause life. Inspiring and exceptional performance results, through genuine workplace employee engagement, are no fairytale. It’s a very real, very attainable state to achieve within an organisation under the right conditions. While living through a pandemic and working from home has been less than ideal for creating the right conditions for employee engagement, this is no longer something businesses can afford to leave on pause. Survival is undoubtedly still a priority as we look for ways to recover and rebuild, but survival is pointless if employees are disengaged, non-productive or simply resign. What do employers need to know right now in order to get a grip on employee engagement, retention and performance?

How to prevent the “great resignation” from hitting your business?

lthough there is a tendency to think of the “Great Resignation” of 2021 as an American phenomenon, global search trends suggest that people all over the world were looking to leave their jobs. 2021 was the start of a record number of individuals downing tools, shutting laptops, handing in their notice, or simply quitting on the spot. While the calendar year might have changed, employee sentiment hasn’t and organisations that fail to take visible steps to engage employees are likely to feel the effects of an increased number of resignations. Before the pandemic, employee engagement was nice to have – now it is an essential retention tool, particularly as we return to the workplace after a two-year work-fromhome absence.

When people within an organisation are engaging with their teams and are connected to the organisation’s bigger purpose, there is a potential for productivity magic. However, while most people have been preoccupied with surviving a pandemic, most people have felt it necessary to pause all face-to-face engagements in the business world, with social distancing restrictions placing further chokeholds on the real-world cultural and managerial interactions required to contribute to employee engagement. We have been living under the assumption that when things go ‘back to normal’, we can refocus on engaging employees. This is a false assumption and a waste of time. Reality check for employers Right up there on the list of false assumptions is the misconception that people want to return to the office. According to Forbes.com, employers who think workers want to return to the office as much as they (the employers) do, should consider taking a reality check before it is too late. Executives who work remotely are nearly three times more likely than employees to prefer a comeback to full-time office life, while 76% of employees do not want to return to the office full time. Furthermore, 76% of employees want flexibility in terms of where they work, and 93% want flexibility in when they work. Simply expecting workers to come back to the office full time, ready and engaged after two years of working from home, is unrealistic and quite frankly, a recipe for disaster. Employees who are unengaged are unproductive, unmotivated, and more likely to do the

35FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022 bare minimum to scrape by until they can jump ship for a better opportunity. What are the right conditions for employee engagement?

People can be engaged when they perceive a situation to be fair. With fairness comes camaraderie and the ability to obtain a sense of achievement through one’s work. The assumption that people are going to want to perform being back in the physical workplace is not a fair one. Do they want to be there? Unlikely. The petrol price keeps going up, traffic is going back to normal and the loss of time due to the daily commute is hardly fair. There are additional costs for childcare again, and all those other tasks that parents were able to perform working from home. Apart from a rising cost of living perspective, there is also the debate around the vaccination matter. Those who have been vaccinated must come back to the office, while those who have not been vaccinated will in most cases be made to work from home where there is no justifiable vaccine mandate.

Ultimately, all of these factors can quickly feel unfair to people, which is a massive barrier to engagement. Employers will need to take a firm reality check in assessing the real need for people to come back to the office. This will require communication with people, in order to assess their needs and provide a level of flexibility in all aspects that properly meet their need for fairness. Through proper communication, it becomes a shared outcome.

Transparency, communication, and flexibility

This communication needs to be driven through the appropriate channels – whether it’s an anonymous survey or a suggestions box, there needs to be a procedure in place to address issues of perceived fairness. These issues need to be championed by competent line managers, who are ideally positioned and equipped to gauge the mood of the employees and then make recommendations on what needs to change in order to create the right conditions for engagement. In addition to fairness, it is necessary to create a sense of camaraderie within the organisation. This means creating situations where the focus is fun, the work is stimulating, and people are having their say and making a difference. This is not impossible to achieve remotely, it just requires more planning and effort. Driven from the top down It is here that organisation leaders can make all the difference in driving fairness, camaraderie, and a sense of achievement in order to facilitate genuine employee engagement. Connected employees are less inclined to resign or look for other opportunities, but these connections require change at an organisational level, a rethink of all employee health and wellness strategies to deal with the challenging times that still lie ahead. Line managers are critical frontline responders in employee engagement, as they are the ones with the most direct contact. It is critical that line managers are adequately trained and prepared to deal with this level of employee engagement, whether it’s troubleshooting or optimising. Just as critical as training is putting the back-end processes in place to support the line managers’ engagement work. Change from the top down is required to correct issues of perceived unfairness, and such change must be visible and transparent if it is to be effective and prevent a wave of resignations from disengaged employees.

Roland Innes, MD at Dyna Training

36 Bellhaus Atelier & Galerie Namibia Arts Association Omba Art GalleryNational Art Gallery of Namibia National Art Gallery of Namibia National Art Gallery of NamibiaNational Art Gallery of Namibia

This gallery has been around since 2016, but moved to an exciting new and central location earlier this year. Surrounded by uber cool barber, tattoo parlour, 3D print and artisan leather shops, this is said to be Windhoek’s up-and-coming neighbourhood. For a contemporary take on Namibian art, The Project Room should be your first stop. It features everything from jewellery, sculpture and photography to performance art, and ceramics. Keep a lookout on social media for exhibition updates.

Centrally located in the capital, in a recently acquired historic building, the Namibia Arts Association has always been part and parcel of the local art scene. Whitewashed walls showcase Namibian talents on a regular rotation, with a recent artist call-out bringing fresh, lesser-known voices and perspectives to the forefront. What makes the space extra special is its layout – not simply a large, echoing hall, but exhibits take up multiple rooms. The walkabout ends up feeling like making a new discovery every time you enter a different space through the original wooden door frames.

Location: www.startartgallery.com

Location: 122 Robert Mugabe Ave, Windhoek Opening hours: MON-FRI 10:00 - 17:00, SAT 10:00 - 14:00 Contact: administrator@naa.na EFANO EFANO

This pop-up gallery has been trailblazing the arts scene, introducing us to new names and an entirely different gallery experience. Efano, derived from the Oshiwambo language, means photo as the gallery focuses predominantly on lens art (or photos, to you and me). While Efano Efano embraces a mobile nature, with a recent exhibit at the Goethe Institute, you can view exhibits in their semi-permanent location: the swanky Café Prestige in the centre of town.

Location: 18 Bell Street, Grüner Kranz, Windhoek Opening times: MON-SAT 9:00 - 12:30 or by appointment

Location: Corner of Robert Mugabe Ave and John Meinert Street, Windhoek Opening hours: MON 14:00 - 17:00, TUE-FRI 8:00 - 17:00, SAT 9:00 - 14:00 Contact: pro@nagn.org.na

The Village Opera House, 18 Liliencron Street, Windhoek Opening hours: MON 9:00 to 17:00, TUE-SAT 9:00 to Contact:19:00 Nationalinfo@startartgallery.comArtGalleryofNamibia

Location: 30 Julius Nyerere Street (former Lazarett Street) OpeningWindhoekhours:During exhibitions, TUE-SAT 10:00 - 13:00 or by StArtContact:appointmenttheprojectroomnamibia@gmail.comArtGallery

Bellhaus Atelier & Galerie

StArt is first and foremost Namibia’s number one online art platform. It was founded on the premise of making local art accessible to greater, international audiences through the ease of buying online. In its physical form, StArt occupies the lofty Village Opera House, a grand, double-volume space with exposed wooden beams. Events are often hosted in this space, facilitated by The Village, which means you can, essentially, rent out an art gallery for your next soirée.

Location: Café Prestige, Franco Namibian Cultural Centre, OpeningWindhoekhours:MON-FRI 7:30 - 19:00, closed on weekends

Contact: @efano_efano on Instagram Omba Art Gallery On the Namibia Craft Centre’s mezzanine floor you’ll find one of Windhoek's most loved gallery spaces. Frequented by foreign visitors to the country, the Omba Gallery highlights historic art practices like lino print, weaving and stone sculpture. The gallery is surrounded by some of Namibia’s most beautiful arts and crafts, and you can smell freshly ground coffee coming from the café while strolling through the space. With wood floors, exposed steel beams and natural light, the artwork truly pops off the walls.

37FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022

The Project Room

The newest member to Windhoek’s family of art galleries, Bellhaus is currently showing the fifth exhibition since opening doors in March this year. Located in a historic building, the gallery features beautiful wooden floors and trusses from the original architecture, elevated with white walls and ambient lighting. On the building’s facade, exhibitions are broadcasted in tasteful murals. Bellhaus also houses a small shop stocking Wonderveld Apothecary, a local organic skincare line. More than simply showing remarkable artwork by local and international artists, Bellhaus also hosts yoga and dinner parties, all with an artsy twist, of course!

Namibia Arts Association

Opening hours: MON-FRI 10:00 - 17:00, SAT 10:00 - 14:00

Contact: sales@omba.org.na Charene Labuschagne to visit in

Seven Art Galleries

Location: Namibia Craft Centre, Tal Street, Windhoek

Windhoek

Old-faithful has been showcasing Namibian art since independence, and remains a cornerstone (literally, on a street corner) to the local art scene. The mezzanine floor’s exhibition space is reminiscent of hyper-modern, whitewashed galleries, finished with the classic square leather seats. The lights are prominent and really draw you to the artwork. With permanent installations as well as a consistent rotation of temporary exhibits, NAGN deserves a spot on your art tour of Windhoek itinerary.

Contact: hello@bellhaus.art

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A household name and a much-loved Namibian brand, CYMOT is one of the country’s success stories.

Axel will continue serving as Chairman of the Group, focusing more on business strategy as well as assisting CYMOT’s sister companies with their strategic business plans. Furthermore, Axel wishes to devote more time to the Namibian Cycling Federation which recently voted him president for the third consecutive year. Next year CYMOT Namibia will celebrate its 75th anniversary. The company derived the name CYMOT from CYcles and MOTors and started trading in 1948. Last year two further CYMOT branches were opened in Gobabis and Ondangwa, bringing the total number of Namibian branches to 18. CYMOT has its head office and central warehouse in Windhoek and maintains on-site PPE stores at four leading Namibian mines. CYMOT also has a retail branch and warehouse in Lobito, Angola, and operates on a wholesale basis in South Africa.

After serving as MD/CEO for close to 20 years, Axel Theissen has recently decided to hand the reins over to Ralph Ellinger. Everybody in the CYMOT circle knows Ralph, who has been with the company since 2002. He studied business management and holds a CIMA qualification. Prior to being appointed as CEO, Ralph served as the COO of CYMOT for ten years.

“I wish to congratulate Ralph on his appointment and I can guarantee that he will live up to this important role with the same enthusiasm and professionalism as I have. CYMOT has grown significantly during recent years, which is why I believe that this is the ideal time for me to step down,” Axel Theissen said.

“Having spent all my working life at CYMOT, I feel honoured to be given the opportunity to lead this company and its fantastic team. As we plot the future and find ways of continuing the legacy of CYMOT, I wish to congratulate Axel on his tenure as CEO and the many significant achievements over the past 25 years,” Ralph Ellinger said in return.

CYMOT is the Namibian market leader with its e-commerce platform CLICK-SHOP-PAY which guarantees a 24-hour e-commerce delivery solution throughout Namibia. Find out more at www.cymot.com.

39FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022

Ralph Ellinger appointed as CEO of CYMOT

4010minutes with local taste makers ClaudioPhotographer:

Handing over the crown is undoubtedly a bittersweet moment, but there's no doubt we haven’t heard the last of Chelsi WATCH:Shikongo.

Her best piece of advice for the next title holder, or anyone for that matter, is to read your contracts with a microscope.

If there is one thing Chelsi has taken away from her journey, it is the importance of staying true to herself. When the paperwork tells you who to be, and an entire nation’s gaze is directed at you, remember to be yourself. She believes it's vital not to compromise on the things that make you unique because, eventually, the reign does end. And false perceptions are ridiculously difficult to rectify.

41FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022

In her own words, Chelsi is a creative entrepreneur. Before she was the face of our nation, the girl from Walvis Bay pursued comedy, both stand-up and digital (@namibiangirlhumor) and graced the international modelling industry with her long legs and radiant personality. Both of these passions had to take the back-burner to her responsibilities as Miss Namibia, but once the crown is handed over to her successor, Chelsi says she’s ready to take them on full-time.

It was written in the stars long before she could walk, let alone strut a runway in high heels. She says her dad manifested this title when he named her after Chelsi Smith, Miss Universe 1995. It’s a stroke of serendipity that Chelsi Shikongo was crowned, 26 years later, at the Country Club, much like her namesake. In the very last week of her reign as Miss Namibia 2021, I sat down with Chelsi to take a look back at the year that was, the mishaps and triumphs and what the future holds for the twenty-something micro-mogul.

Chelsi’s greatest cause, pre, during and post-reign, is advocating for comprehensive, honest sex education in Namibia. Particularly focussed on the ever pressing topic of consent, Chelsi says it’s equally important to feel you can say no, as it is to take rejection with pride and respect. She says our greatest challenge is opening up and facilitating constructive conversations. Through her I Can Say No campaign, Chelsi hopes to further destigmatise important conversations surrounding sex and consent. The beauty queen also managed to raise over N$20,000 for the Twaloloka community in her hometown of Walvis Bay, who lost their homes and belongings in a devastating fire in July of 2020.

Chelsi says that particularly on crowning night, the air backstage was filled with excitement and pride in representing their respective countries on a global stage.

The reign that was with Miss Namibia 2021 Chelsi Shikongo video interview on our social media pages. Charene Labuschagne NazariiJC leoviich

Looking back at her journey to Miss Universe, Chelsi says what every beauty queen has said, so it must be true: the best part is the sisterhood. She made lifelong friends at the controversial pageant in Israel. Fast forward more than a year later, she ran into one of her Miss Universe sisters, Miss Panama, while travelling to Thailand. It isn’t hard to believe that the girls form strong bonds during the competition.

CORPORATEINVESTMENTANDBANKING

Come and view these incredible artworks outside the RMB Head Office on Independence Ave, Windhoek.

Africa’s Fearless Thinker radiates our stance on gender equality, courage and diversity. At RMB, we don’t just acknowledge it, we stand for it. Facing challenges head-on requires fearless thinking, which in our minds takes pride of place.

AFRICA’S FEARLESS THINKER A SYMBOL OF EQUALITY

• Fully inter-resilient 500 kVA UPSs per feed (A&B) dedicated to the Data Centre

• Diverse A&B utility power supply (Phase 2)

Paratus launched its newest Data Centre (DC), named Armada, in the first week of August. Signalling the country’s readiness to participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Armada is Namibia’s largest carrier-neutral DC and up to global standards with Tier III equivalent data centre infrastructure. Located just outside the capital city, Windhoek, Armada DC offers Namibian businesses hosting services and digitally resilient infrastructure with complete connectivity freedom. The purpose-built facility enables the hosting of ICT infrastructure in the latest physical and virtual security and highest possible uptime. The DC will also offer a colocation environment with a resilient infrastructure environment which minimises the IT capital expenditure and operating costs associated with on-premise data storage and management.

• Access to Paratus backbone network linking multinational customers to the Paratus Data Centres in Angola and Zambia Data Centre Security: 24-hour perimeter security, facility, computer room, and cabinet controls to prevent unauthorised entry into the Armada DC. Further security is provided within the inner layers of Armada, including battery backups, generators, cages, and data racks. Reliable and carefully monitored power supply and cooling systems ensure that optimal temperature and humidity for all equipment is maintained, mitigating the loss of data due to any equipment failure caused by the lack of power or equipment overheating.

The state-of-the-art data centre is propelling the Namibian economy into a new era of data centre offerings. As a carrier-neutral DC, Armada offers users the ISP resilience that a single-carrier DC cannot. Having connections to multiple carriers backed by critical IT Infrastructure means that even if one carrier has an outage, customers' connectivity is not interrupted, and better resilience is assured for all. The Paratus Armada DC encourages interconnectivity between multiple telecommunications carriers, allowing multiple service providers to use the facilities and thereby enhance service offerings to colocation clients. This broadens the appeal of the Armada DC because it can serve any business – small, medium, or large enterprise.

• Direct link to the new Equiano cable and CLS in Swakopmund

Paratus Armada Data Centre specs:

• Diverse power feed design throughout, from utility to cabinet level

• Separate utilities UPS to ensure electrical autonomy

Green credentials: Armada has also been designed to mitigate environmental impacts. Trees that needed to be uprooted during construction of the DC have been replanted, a large duck pond has been created on the campus and, to help offset its carbon footprint and reliance upon fossil fuels, a sophisticated set of renewable solar energy systems has been incorporated. “Our customers may be reassured of our good environmental governance, and indeed that local communities have been empowered through the creation of Armada”, Erasmus adds. “What’s important here, too, is that the Armada DC removes the need for businesses to build their own facilities to house and protect their data.”

• Multiple diverse carrier routes with separate meet-me rooms (A&B) as well as access to tower across diverse infrastructure from fibre to microwave

• 2-Megawatt power capacity (Phase 2)

• Dual UPS feeds per cabinet to deliver up to 3.3kVA

• Dedicated generators – per A&B feed, for comprehensive resilience and 72-hour fuel autonomy

43FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022

• Cold aisle containment and inter-resilient CRAC cooling units at N+1

Paratus pioneers Africa’s digital transformation with world class data centre dubbed Armada

Paratus Group CEO Schalk Erasmus said upon launching the facility: “The Paratus Armada DC is the safest and most secure environment for any business’s most precious asset – its data. The resilience we offer at Armada is unmatched in Namibia. This is the archetype of modern technology at work, and Armada is another example of how the Paratus mission to transform Africa through excellent infrastructure is being realised. As a state-of-the-art facility and one in which we have invested around N$123 million, Armada is a one-of-a-kind, one-stop shop for businesses of all sizes to compete at world-class levels. This is a proud day for Paratus Group.”

44 FROM HOBBY TO FULL-TIME PROFESSION

While he has no preference in the type of photography he does, Pekelatate feels most comfortable with portrait photography.

Pekelatate explains that he has always been drawn to the visual arts. Photography is just another medium, apart from doing sketches and comics, in which he can express himself. After dabbling in the art of photography, he quickly realised he could become better at it as well as make a living out of it. As a result, his passion for the medium kept growing the more he worked on it.

“I'd go as far as saying photography is the first thing that I have truly been passionate about, bordering on obsessed. And it has so far been the area of my life where I constantly strive for self-improvement. It drives me and gives me purpose.”

Pekelatate Haindongo is a self-taught photographer. He has turned his hobby into a full-time profession that he has been practising for the past three years.

“I thoroughly enjoy shooting closeups and detailed shots of people’s faces, this is my favourite genre,” he says.

Photography Feature PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURE: PEKELATATE HAINDONGO

45FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022

I'd go as far as saying photography is the first thing that I have truly been passionate, bordering obsessed about. And it has so far been the area of my life where I constantly seek self-improvement. It drives me and gives me purpose.

Pekelatate mainly works around Windhoek and at the coast, but he regularly also travels to new destinations for shoots. He has no preference when it comes to camera bodies and has shot with Canon, Sony and Nikon. He is, however, picky about the type of lens he uses. For his work he prefers a 35mm, f2 lens. “It's versatile, I can get wide shots and also really great close-ups. On most occasions, it's the only lens I carry and use.”

47FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022 Photography Feature

Since Independence Day 2017 and, coincidently, starting with our first Namibian shop on Independence Avenue, we do strictly coffee!

• Nedbank Campus, Ground Floor | Freedom Plaza, c/o Fidel Castro & Rev Michael Scott Street +264 81 767

Deluxe Coffeeworks imports only the finest green beans sourced from around the world. Our coffee bean suppliers have longestablished relationships with coffee farms across the globe, guaranteeing consistency in tastes and aromas for every roast. We believe firmly in the fact that coffee should be made with freshly roasted beans. We roast five days a week to ensure that each bag you pick up is as fresh as possible.

Founded in Church Street, Cape Town by Carl Wessel and Judd Nicolay, doing 400 cups of coffee a day and roasting shifts into the wee hours of the morning, Deluxe has gone from strength to strength.

COFFEE@DELUXECOFFEEWORKS.COM7600WWW.DELUXECOFFEEWORKS.COM

@deluxecoffeeworks.na DELUXE COFFEEWORKS WINDHOEK, NA

You will find Deluxe Coffeeworks at:

Aroma is in the air! We bring you the partnership between Fly Namibia and Deluxe – it just works! So, sit back, enjoy the flight and ask for it by name, we serve Deluxe!

Located in the centre of Windhoek CBD, our espresso bar has become the hub where we roast, blend and serve our famous House Blend. This being just the start, we now operate from four Deluxe Shops throughout the capital. We don’t follow many rules when it comes to our coffee. In fact, there aren’t a lot of rules that we follow in general. We are passionate about coffee and that’s a good enough reason for us to do what we do: roast, supply and serve coffee in the best way we know. We believe in having a great place where this all comes together and where you can enjoy our coffee. That’s why our coffee shops are the way they are. You won’t find any fancy food or wifi here. That’s not our vibe. A lot of good music, interesting people and great coffee. We like to give you coffee the way we would like to receive it. That’s what we’re all about.

When Carl and his cousin and local partner, Willem Bodenstein, sealed the deal for a fully-fledged Namibian roastery, they created the espresso bar that “explores the global but respects the local”.

• Shop 3, Mutual Tower, 223 Independence Avenue.

• Nictus Giga. 140 Mandume Ndemufayo Ave.

Our signature House Blend is specifically blended to create a versatile well-balanced experience using the best characteristics of each of the single origins used therein, hailing respectively from Brazil, Guatemala and Ethiopia. Initial acidity leans to oranges or naartjies, followed by dark chocolate taste and raw cocoa in the Andfinish.now...

• Shop 5, 42 Berg Street, Klein Windhoek.

Mountain Climbers

• It can reduce our risk of chronic disease such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, various cancers, high cholesterol and hypertension.

• Energy levels increase through exercise. Active movement of the body pumps blood at an increased speed throughout our bodies, delivering more oxygen to working muscles, and over a period of time, improves lung health.

• It’s a mood booster! Exercise releases serotonin and norepinephrine, hormones which relieve us from feelings of stress, anxiety and depression. It can also increase production of endorphins, in turn producing positive feelings.

Ena is a qualified personal trainer that focuses on building a sustainable healthy and active lifestyle with her clients. Catch her on Instagram and Facebook: @fervent_wellness

49FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022 15 min sweat set with Ena Full-Body Sweat Session You will need: • 25 minutes • Water • Exercise mat Do the circuit 3-4 times in total. This is an EMOM workout - Every Minute On the Minute an new exercise starts Your minute will consist of 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest. 1. Jumping jacks 2. Flappy bird 3. (Knee) Push ups 4. Superman lifts 5. Mountain climbers 6. Superman lifts 7. Shoulder taps September Challenge: exercise 3 times a week throughout the whole month, and better yet, try this: exercise outside at least once a week. Whether you’re doing this workout outside on your grass, or whether you're going for a 30 min walk/jog, get outside!

xercise has been said to be as effective as a session of therapy, and my own therapist has told me this! We know that an active lifestyle is key to longevity, but let’s dive into just a few of the benefits!

• It supports brain health and memory.

• Exercise aids in weight loss as it increases the amount of calorie expenditure.

If you’ve already been exercising regularly, then this is a pleasant reminder of how you are taking care of your body and mind through exercise. If youre on the cusp of committing to regular exercise, then hopefully these few benefits encourage you to the point of taking action! Let’s start today!

Shoulder Taps Push up

(Knee)

The Goodfellas menu goes uncontested as utterly versatile and can please just about every palate in the group. Coowner Alexa summarises the offering as “American-style indulgence.” From their carpaccio to the generous salads, burgers and their much loved pizzas, the grub is delicious, whether you’re tipsy or not. If you’re a responsible drinker, you’ll dive into their famous loaded fries or, even better, eat half of the Guttermouth pizza and leave the rest for breakfast. Pasta portions are on par with the ones we shamelessly serve ourselves at home, and the nachos are precisely as cheesy as you’d like them to be.

Tucked away under lofty tree canopies, in Windhoek’s lively Liliencron street, the pizza pub combo harbours crowds of twenty-somethings, thirty-somethings and just about everyone else looking for a good time in the capital. The majority of the restaurant’s seating is al fresco, large wooden tables and benches can seat big groups of people, but it equally caters to lovebirds or smaller groups. Inside is no less exciting, with the large wood-burning pizza oven visible from a couple more tables among a piano, wallmounted aeroplane propeller and old-school movie posters.

Because old habits die hard, we ordered a burger and pizza. The Fat Tony burger is loaded with bacon, feta and avo and dripping with a decadent garlic mayo. Oftentimes when a burger is this stuffed you wonder what they’re trying to hide, but at Goodfellas the flame grilled, pure beef patty (which is cooked to your preference – I went with medium) remains the star of the show. Oh and the onion rings are immaculate, too! You can’t go wrong with any of the pizzas, which all have brilliant names drawn from the Goodfellas movie quotes.

On weekends you can expect a consistent rotation of live music acts. Names like Vaughn Ahrens, Riaan Smit, and The Ell’s have played gigs here and contribute exceptionally to the atmosphere around these wooden tables. Beers are served in chilled mugs, as they should, the cocktail menu features all the greats, the food is generous and delicious, and you’re bound to run into someone you know, heck, even meet new people. Very conducive to Saturday daydrinking indeed.

W hat do you get when you mix live music, pub grub, abundant outdoor seating and atmosphere? They need no introduction to fans of food and good vibes: Goodfellas is the backbone of the capital’s social scene, and unsurprisingly doubles well as a family lunch spot.

On Fridays in particular, many gather for shooters at the long bar inside, where you’ll find vibey music, sensational smelling food coming out of the kitchen, and the delightful chatter of friends catching up after the week’s hustle.

51FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022

Charene Labuschagne

Goodfellas Pizza & Pub

I was hoping I would spot a Pygmy Falcon on my last trip to the Namib-Naukluft Park, Namibia’s largest conservation area. Small, spirited and snow-white, the bird appeared as misplaced as an Edelweiss flower in the desert. The Pygmy Falcon soared like a white star, in stark contrast to the dry riverbeds, gravel and grassy plains. Incidentally, the park of 49,768 square kilometres is slightly bigger than Switzerland. The area has at least 190 bird species. While this is also the hunting ground of other birds of prey, such as the much-admired Black-breasted Snake Eagle – not to forget the Black, Booted and Martial Eagle – it is the vultures of the area that recently stirred my interest. Following a global trend, Namibia’s vulture species are all threatened or endangered. In the uncertain times of Covid-19, these birds came into sharp focus, not only because they need our help but because we need them more. Immune to microbes that cause diseases like anthrax, rabies, tuberculosis, botulism and brucellosis, these birds literally clean up the microbes on a carcass in less than an hour, and in so doing stop the spread of disease to more susceptible animals and humans. In this area you will find Lappet-faced, White-backed and Cape Vultures if you are lucky, given the fact that seven of Africa’s eleven vulture species are heading for extinction.

The value and virtue of vultures

After all, it takes a resilient spirit to recognise the self-same antifragile qualities in another creature; qualities that still prevail in all living things who dare to call this area home.

If my grandfather would have been alive today (with the benefit of hindsight) he would have taken a bird’s eye view on the intrinsic value of vultures. Scientists say vultures are worth millions. Organisations like BirdLife International estimate that a single vulture is worth more than US$11,000 just for its cleaning services. “They are worth much, much more to governments in saved health service costs, not to mention tourism.”

53FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022

My grandfather, Roelf de Jager, was one of the farmers who in 1937-38 seeked his fortune adjacent to the yet-to-beproclaimed park. He endeavoured to tame the rugged area with the help of donkeys like Japie and Regter. His farm was rather ironically called Corona. Many small-stock farmers seeked to make a living here, especially after World War II, when the area was opened up for farming. In the heyday of karakul farming, the plains were teeming with livestock. And back then, there were still vultures in abundance, circling down on the carcasses of animals preyed on by jackals, leopards, cheetah and hyena. You still find the tracks of these predators in the area to this day. Vehicle tracks, however, were not the norm in the then South West Africa. The first vehicle with a petrol engine only arrived in Namibia in 1904, and in time would make it easier for these remote farmers to get karakul fur to the Windhoek depots. In this context, the steep cliffs of the central escarpment would have appeared even more daunting then than in the comforts of a modern-day vehicle. Close to the Gamsberg Pass, you still find the remnants of the tracks of the original De Jager’s Pass sloping down into the Namib plains. But even the tenacious spirit that enabled him to build a road here in the late thirties with the help of donkeys and a handful of workers, did not save Roelf from the same fate that befell the stock farmers of the era. Most of them had to eventually bend the knee to the unyielding desert environment. Even a little rainfall (less than 127 mm annually is the norm) was cause for celebration – and prompted the family to celebrate by eating a simple can of tinned fruit normally reserved for Christmas lunch only. Today Corona Guest Farm is a popular tourist destination and the perfect base from which to climb the Gamsberg Mountain, but the remnants of two olds wells in the river still speak of a different era. Given the intense struggle for survival in this remote area, the farmers back then still used poison as a first line of attack against predators. It was the norm to use poisoned bait in the veld to kill predators feasting ruthlessly on their prized livestock. The impact of poison on vultures was recently explained to me by Dr Chris Brown of the Namibian Chamber of Environment: “The more efficient scavengers like vultures find the poisoned carcasses first. And also die first. Before the farmers even get to the predators,” he says. Other precious creatures like meerkats also die in this way. The sad truth that emerged over the years – as conservation awareness grew – is that the farmers inadvertently contributed to a very impoverished ecosystem that only partially recovered when the area’s focus shifted to include wildlife- and tourism-based activities. In effect, secondary poisoning of vultures when eating animals that have already died from the poison still continues on the African continent today. Poison still causes more than 60 percent of vulture mortality in Africa. In spite of several awareness campaigns in Namibia, a few of the old-school farmers still use poison to this day – not in the protected Namib-Naukluft Park, but in the wider adjoining areas. Of the three vulture species here, it is the Cape Vulture which is the most vulnerable and susceptible. This explains why the original flocks of the Rostock Mountains were wiped out in the late sixties. Explains Chris: “Your Lappet-faced Vultures are individual animals. They will go up, fly at low levels, look for small carcasses and then they come down in pairs. They will feed on a carcass, and if it is poisoned it will be a pair that dies. The Cape Vultures are colonial. They go much higher up into the sky because they only feed on bigger carcasses. And they watch each other, hunting collaboratively – like a foraging net in the sky. If one quarter of the net sees a carcass, they all come down. Then the next one sees it, and the next … It is like pulling on a quarter of a net, and then the whole net comes down to feed on the carcass. And if that carcass is poisoned, you kill the whole flock.” In Africa, one poisoned elephant carcass causes 500 dead vultures per incident.

According to statistics provided by Vultures Namibia a vulture named Oscar was recently fitted with a tracking device. In just over a year the bird travelled a staggering 34,800 km in the Namib-Naukluft area. Outside of the protected area of the park, vultures like Oscar are vulnerable, but precisely because it is flanked by the safety of the park, there is hope for Namibia’s vultures. Here vultures are not persecuted for body parts used in traditional medicine like in other African countries. Power lines are also absent, which ensures that the vultures don’t accidentally get electrocuted when they collide with these lines. In this context, vultures have seen a slow but steady increase in the pro-Namib population over the last 15 years. “We have also seen the odd Cape vulture arrive from South Africa as a young bird. That is how far they fly. Then they disappear again and go back to their flocks,” says Chris. Given the huge areas in question, it became clear to me that there is much merit in the efforts of organisations like the Endangered Wildlife Trust to develop large Vulture Safe Zones in southern Africa. This approach aims to reduce the impact of threats to stabilise the recovery of existing vulture populations. This conservation measure is also on the cards for Namibia and will unite powerful stakeholders in the interest of vultures.

If my grandfather could sit on Corona’s veranda today – staring towards Namibia’s endless horizons – and spot an iconic vulture circling into sight, he would have been astonished to realise that the value of one vulture would now outweigh the price of one karakul fur a thousandfold.

Linda De Jager Subscribe to Travel News Namibia here:

www.zinio.com/za/travel-news-namibia-m38306

First published in the Spring 2022 issue of Travel News Namibia magazine.

For the artist, “working with small parts, put together to create an image” is not an unfamiliar concept, but links in with previous exhibitions in college, including Stars and Ashes (2019), Amor Mundi (2020), and Patchwork People, her prize-winning entry for the Bank Windhoek Triennial in 2021. This piece forms what Remmert calls the base of her new thought processes, namely, art that highlights the “polyphony of human layers”. It is again presented in this exhibition as a reminder of how the acts of layering and patchwork can be symbolic for exploring our personal complexities, and interrelations with others. “The colourful threads that I use in my latest art have the same function: Binding people, connecting them, criss-crossing and knotting them together into a web of experience and togetherness.”

In her creative space, Remmert describes her routine as being most productive when alone, “with background music to let my creative juices flow”. But even with musical stimulation by the likes of Bach, Johnny Clegg and Katie Melua, she admits, “it takes a long time to reach what I want to express”. Part of her artistic practice includes keeping record of thoughts, quotes, sketches, paintings and spontaneous ideas in a logbook, which is entrusted to the audience as part of the final body of work. These creative diaries allow a very intimate and personal view into the artist’s mind, and at the same time the opportunity for a deeper connection. Remmert notes, “I think, creating art in many ways is as if the artist turns herself insideout to reveal deeper layers of experiences, relationships and connections…”

Explore Remmert’s rich tapestry of personalities through Threads that Bind, on view at The Project Room from 16 September – 1 October. Marita van Rooyen

connections…ThreadsthatBind

I think creating art in many ways is as if the artist turns herself inside-out to reveal deeper layers of experiences, relationships and –A interrelationoftapestrycolourfulhuman

“This practice of drawing on hand-made paper, stitching, knotting, threading, combining, weaving and sorting, reminds me of the lightness of childhood, singing, playing, inventing and thinking. ”Urte Remmert bares her childlike soul in Threads that Bind, presenting a colourful collection of faces drawn from memory, and shaded with embroidery yarns, glass-beads and buttons – “layered explorations of relationships between individuals of all walks of life.” Along with portraits of family, friends, everyday acquaintances, pupils, and teachers, the selection features recollections of chance acquaintances, like that of the little San girl from Ombili, the Ghanaian weaver, or the shepherd and fisherman from a village in Greece. Favourite artists, like William Kentridge, and composers like Beethoven also form part of the set. “For this new exhibition I have used drawings that I did as a student and young adult, but also recent sketches and photographs.” The final artworks – “my wall-hangings” –are stitched together from pieces of cloth, lace, jeans, old mielie-bags, “and the beautiful embroidery of both my grandparents”, explains Remmert.

55FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022

In closing, she states, “Maya Angelou describes best what I am trying to say”: We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry. And we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value, no matter what their colour.

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NETWO R K NAMIBIA NET T O F T H E V ENT U R E MED I A G R O U P .namibiatradedirectory.com | daleen@venture.com.na | +264 61 383 450 ANN U A L REVIEW OF NAMIBIAN TRADE & INDUSTRYFeaturing Latest Business News The Economy Government Ministries Private And PublicInstiServicetutions Business & Proﬀessional Organisations Diplomatic Missions, Parastatals & Local Authorities To feature in the 2023/24 edition, send an email to daleen@venture.com.na

In terms of revenue, it is interesting to note that governments will still represent the largest share of revenues over the next decade (an estimated $240 billion); this despite the new business models being developed by commercial players entering the space industry. Likewise, incumbent satellite manufacturers will probably continue to dominate the market. Just four of them have captured half of the market over the past decade, to the value of $87 billion.

It is expected that the New Space satellite constellations will add a total of 200Tbps capacity to the sub-Saharan African market. To put this in context, the Seacom undersea cable was designed for 12Tbps and is currently provisioned

OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFRICA

According to the latest Euroconsult report, the global satellite industry is now on course to build and launch some 17,000 satellites over the next decade. The next ten years will see a race to deploy the first mega-broadband constellations, plus a new constellation for real-time earth observation. What implications will these developments have for the African market?

In its follow-up annual Space Economy Report released in January 2022, Euroconsult estimated that the global space economy in 2021 totalled some $370 billion. This figure includes commercial space revenues and government procurement of $337 billion, in addition to $40 billion from governments for internal costs and research and development.

The Euroconsult satellite market forecast assessed around 170 constellation projects individually, of which 110 originated from commercial companies. While OneWeb, Starlink, Gwo Wang, Kuiper and Lightspeed will collectively account for some 58% of the anticipated 17,000 satellites to be launched, these leading firms will only contribute approximately 10% of the space industry’s total satellite manufacturing and launch revenues. According to the report, this disparity has two key reasons. The first is the economies of scale inherent in satellite manufacturing, and the second is a marked decrease in launch prices.

What will 1700 satellites per year mean for Africa? Translating the expected global growth to market possibilities for the African continent.

Adding 200Tbps of capacity According to GMSA, 495 million people will be subscribed to mobile services in sub-Saharan Africa by the end of 2022 –some 46% of the region’s population. As of 2020, Statista reported that 620 million people lived within a 25-km-range of a fibre optic network node. While successful mobile and fibre network deployments are a positive development, it is possible that the audiences served by these two technologies largely overlap, meaning that any further growth will remain subject to proven business case feasibility in the case of less densely populated areas (typically both rural and remote).

Smart network architectures New Space services will also be harnessed to serve global industry trends such as Cloud Computing and Internetof-Things (IoT) development. This has already been demonstrated by the Microsoft Azure Orbital product and the Amazon Web Service Ground Station, both of which are intended to service, support and enable the large network space constellations. These developments will be a follow-up to services such as Twoobii, the Smart Satellite Service engineered and operated by Q-KON Africa. Smart Satellite Services support applications such as SD-WAN, and video surveillance and IP layer 2-oversatellite architecture are also expected to see significant growth. These developments will facilitate the seamless integration of new satellite services with existing terrestrial networks and enable the network expansion throughout Africa.

The powerful potential and inherent capabilities of the LEO, MEO and next generation geostationary (GEO) satellite services can be expected to be leveraged by specialist service providers such as Q-KON Africa to build network solutions aimed at connecting Africa’s remaining market segments.

59FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022 at 500Gbps. Satellites thus have the potential to add the equivalent of 16 additional Seacom cables. Adding to this are the fundamental benefits of satellite services, including the fact that they are immediately available, anywhere and everywhere. This means that Africa could soon experience a capacity burst in the market, and all the advantages that will flow from that.

Conclusion The planned 400% increase in satellite launch activities over the next decade will transform the global telecoms industry by adding 200Tbps capacity to overall network fabrics. While the majority of services and developments are focused on government applications, Africa certainly stands to benefit from this expansion.

No-limit connectivity

Dr Dawie de Wet (Pr. Eng. M.Sc. Eng.) is Group CEO of Q-KON Africa and Chief Engineer for Twoobii, a southern African supported satellite broadband service. With over 30 years experience in designing, engineering, developing and implementing wireless, microwave and satellite communication systems in Africa, Dawie continues to focus on developing Telco solutions that meet the user requirements of emerging markets through class-leading technology.

Starlink, for example, is promoting service rates of 50–150 Mbps, with latency of just 15–100ms at monthly charges of $100, which appear to be more targeted towards professional users rather than the general consumer market. OneWeb is clearly more of a B2B offering with latency of just 70ms and data rates of 300Mbps. Completing the current range of offerings, mPower MEO service will provide very high capacity 400Mbps point-to-point links at 150ms latency, making it a viable alternative to fibre connectivity.

The development of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations such as Starlink and OneWeb, and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) constellations such as SES mPower, will introduce a new range of satellite services to Africa and further debunk the old myths about slow, expensive satellite services beset by latency issues.

The growth in available capacity, plus the flexibility and rapid deployment benefits of satellites have the potential to drive an accelerated deployment of communication services to all.

Let’s FlyNamibia www.flynamibia.com.na toWherenext? New heights, new horizons. FN July 2022 campaign ideas.indd 6 12/08/2022 2:56 PM

added that although the solution is available now for Retail customers, the bank is working to ensure that its Commercial customers can soon experience the same convenience and ease when they do their own business “Wetransactions.areworking

We always ask ourselves – how can we help make banking easy?

€$ E US$ $ FNB’s launch of Forex on App introduces a better way to make cross-border payments, international payments and transfers to anywhere in the world. With just a few taps on the FNB App, customers can now make foreign exchange payments safely and securely using their mobile devices, which not only makes this innovative solution more convenient, but also ensures a better customer experience.

The Foreign Exchange solution is not new to FNB customers who have experienced the benefits of Forex Online for years. With Forex Online, customers have been able to not only transact in a foreign currency but also save in a wide range of foreign currencies and transfer funds between foreign currency accounts. All these capabilities are now accessible with Forex on App at no additional cost to FNB customers.

Namibia • Pay for travel (flights,

can convert from their

“FNB has always led the provision of innovative solutions to its customers, both for digital and mobile banking solutions, and Forex on App is just one of the products that FNB customers will see being rolled out in the year across all platforms.” This was said by Neville Ntema, Head of Foreign Exchange Product House who emphasised the bank’s commitment to being not just a bank but a banking partner to all its customers.

How to use Forex on the FNB App

Visit our FNB Namibia YouTube page for Forex on App how-to guides.

If you import goods and need to pay for them: o You can make an advanced payment in this regard; once they’ve arrived in accommodation other are paid in foreign currency foreign currency account sending a gift, paying for services rendered or imports, funding offshore investments, paying tuition or securing your holiday accommodation, do it all on the FNB App from the comfort of your home or office. Forex rates Access the exchange rates of 17 foreign currencies right in the palm of your hand. Whether you want to sell or buy any of the foreign currencies, you will find suitable rates on the FNB App. global transfers convert funds from any of your foreign currency accounts (US Dollars, British Pounds or Euros) into your local currency account using Global Transfers on the FNB App. Click on the Forex icon Select Global Payments Select Once-Off Payment on the bottom right and click on Continue Select the type of beneficiary being paid: Individual or Business Complete the address details of the beneficiary. Scroll Selectdownthebeneficiary’s resident country. Type in the first 3 letters of the country and select the correct Completeonethe beneficiary’s banking details. Click on the toggle bar to save the beneficiary for future payments. Click on Continue Scroll through the From accounts to select the account to transact from. Tap on Specify amount in This is where you specify how the rate conversion will be done, e.g. USD to NAD or NAD to USD. Select the currency to be converted Insertfrom the amount and your own reference to appear on your bank statement. Scroll down If a deal is available that matches the criteria of this application, the pre-booked screen will display. Click on the deal Click on Use Deal and continue Select how the bank charges will be distributed and then select the account to bear the bank charges. Click on Continue Tap on the Add BoP code to select the reason for this payment. Scroll through the options to find the most appropriate reason Depending on the BoP code selected for your payment, additional information will be requested. Complete the requested fields. Click on ClickSaveon Continue Tap on the tick boxes to agree to the regulatory declaration above and accept the terms and conditions. Click on Continue Review all the information. Click on Edit to change any information or Confirm that all the information is correct Accept the quote displayed on the screen. If you are not satisfied with the rate, Decline and try again later When the Thank You screen displays, the payment is complete. Click on Finish

Make

Check

or o You can pay for the goods

The innovative solution comes at no additional cost to customers

Easily

towards introducing Forex on the FNB App for Business for our Commercial customers. In the meantime, they can continue to use Forex Online which has recently been enhanced, adding in new features that ensure a better digital journey for the customer. So, although the process is easy for our Commercial and Corporate customers as it stands, our goal is to make sure that we partner with them in always moving ahead of the curve and solutioning differently so that they can continuously bank better.”

What can you do with Forex on the FNB App? How to make a once-off Forex payment on the FNB App

“We always ask ourselves – how can we help make banking much easier for our customers? And, in asking this question, we are able to see what enhancements our current offering requires to ensure that it meets customer needs and goes even further to exceed these. The introduction of Forex on App is a result of this constant probing. So we are pleased to now introduce this next phase of cross-border and international payment solutions that is changing the way our customers will do global transactions,” said Ntema.

to their NAD account) Make global payments Whether you are

expenses) • Fund your offshore account for your holiday spending • Pay for your tuition • Pay for your child’s subsistence allowances when studying abroad • Pay for other international payment obligations • Send a financial gift abroad to a loved one • Convert funds received from abroad (individuals who

FNB changes the way Retail customers make international payments with Forex on App

and

The introduction of Forex on App is FNB’s way of ensuring easier, better and more seamless transactions when customers are making payments beyond our borders. Not so long ago, the bank embarked on a drive to migrate its customers from manual Forex transactions to Forex Online. This convenient change was embraced by most of the bank’s Retail and Commercial customers. “Having walked the journey with customers as they moved from manual Forex processes to Forex Online, I could see first-hand how they experienced the ease and convenience. I believe this next step in our Forex payments evolution will make an even bigger difference, and I can’t wait to see it”, said Morne Husselman, eForex Specialist.

“Seeing as a significant base of FNB’s customers have links to family, friends and colleagues living beyond the borders of Namibia, the need for seamless cross-border and international transactions is not a nice-to-have but a musthave and we are happy to create a solution that meets these Husselmanneeds.”

Forex on App is just one of the many capabilities that the bank will be rolling out in 2022 which seek to change the way FNB customers do banking for the better. This drive will include enhancing the value offering across both digital and mobile banking platforms.“We are excited to introduce this new innovation because the benefits to our customers are vast. They will be able to make cross-border and international payments and transfers on their mobile devices on the go,” said Dawid Shikongo, Foreign Exchange Specialist.

From Forex Online to Forex on App

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63FLYNAMIBIA SEPTEMBER 2022 HARDEASY

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THERE ARE 7 BILLION WAYS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF A NATION. HEALTHCARE IS ONE OF THEM. When we invested in our new vessel, it not only set the standard in diamond recovery but also the standard of technological advancement required and possible. As it set sail, so did the promise to improve the quality of life of our people. We remain steadfast in our commitment to reinvest our earnings in the Namibian people, ensuring that the #wavesofbrilliance can be felt across to the most important areas of their lives.

FlyNamibia September 2022

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