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.
-22.568454, 17.074881
59%
of rural Namibians live in multidimensional poverty.[1]
2nd
Namibia ranks as 2nd most unequal country after South Africa.[2]
500
Only 500 of the 6,500 people living in the rural district of Maltahöhe are estimated to have meaningful employment.
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.
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?
[1] Source: https://ophi.org.uk/namibia-mpi- report-2021/
[2] Source: World Bank https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI?most_recent_value_desc=false&view=map per 7.5.2021
