Developing an inclusive, resilient and sustainable tourism and economic diversification concept for the Namibian community of Maltahöhe. The focus is on integrating and empowering local women, smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs through upskilling and technology transfer.
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OUTPUT
More than 150 communal and commercial farmers in Maltahöhe and surrounds will be trained to supply the growing local tourism sector and ensure village-level food security.
OUTCOME
Approximately 45 tourism establishments encompassing 1,500 beds, travelers and consumers stand to benefit from the market created by the project.
HIGHLIGHT
Construction and renovation of a solar-powered, water-recycling laundry station has already employed several young people and 40 new jobs were created.
Sustainability was infused into our DNA from the word 'go'
Our Commitment
The Julius Baer Foundation and Wolwedans' RuralRevive are tackling wealth inequality in Namibia, revitalising the community of Maltahöhe through upskilling, knowledge and technology transfer. The project focuses on 5 work streams to foster a desert based economy serving the tourism industry:
- setting up a laundry service powered by renewable energy and equipped with a wastewater recycling facility;
- developing a fresh produce distribution hub known as ‘The Barn’, through which local producers can sell to the tourism enterprises in the region;
- strengthening the community's agricultural resilience by capacity building in horticulture and organic food production methods
- offering ‘EconoMix’ training in business basics for emerging entrepreneurs;
- networking, advocacy, and communications to create local market awareness and buy-in.
Wolwedans Foundation's 'Vision 2030 - The AridEden Project' fosters sustainable tourism and conservation based on a business philosophy that balances people, planet and profit.
Since 1992, Wolwedans has consolidated 17 former farms and ranches to create the NamibRand Nature Reserve, a 200,000 ha private reserve dedicated to restoring southwest Namibia’s biodiversity.
Five low-impact ecotourism sites in the Reserve generate revenue to ensure its economic sustainability and provide jobs and a brighter future for the region’s remote communities. Within the Vision 2030, RuralRevive focuses on the marginalised Nama community of Maltahöhe District to the east of NamibRand Nature Reserve.
Extended drought as a result of climate change, as well as the collapse of the sheep farming industry, have hastened Maltahöhe’s economic and social decline, which has led to a rural exodus, 'youth drain' and hopelessness.
RuralRevive's guiding principles are rooted in the '5Cs':
- Conservation
- Community
- Commerce
- Culture
- Consciousness
Through the 5Cs, RuralRevive has developed an inclusive, multifaceted, and resilient economic diversification concept to integrate community members into the destination's sustainable tourism activities.
Meeting the needs of tourists to the iconic Namib Desert will drive RuralRevive's success, linking the 'have-nots' with the 'haves' of the tourism sector and helping bridge the wealth gap.
From rural marginalisation...
Lack of economic opportunities in rural Maltahöhe has caused its young people to leave in search of work far away from the desert community, causing a vicious cycle of lost potential and further economic shrinking.
... to sustainable transformation.
The sustainable tourism hub being co-created by Wolwedans promises to create jobs and opportunities for professional growth for young Namibians in this desert region. Its success holds potential for replication in multiple villages, helping to stabilise or reverse patterns of rural exodus.
Become a Changemaker
Are you interested in the RuralRevive project as a philanthropist, entrepreneur or academic? Do you wish to contribute or just to know more?
