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What
we do
Our Artisans and Artists
Opportunities for rural artisans
Our artisans and artists live in rural and sometimes very remote settlements. The artisans include craft-making in a diverse range of livelihood-activities – usually subsistence agriculture, small-stock farming, fishing, and piecework on commercial farms. The majority work from home and craft production must tie in with their seasonal tasks.
Looking ahead
Recognising some of the many challenges our artisans and their communities face, we have embarked on other programmes including food security, agricultural support as well as homestead vegetable gardens. Sustainable resource management is a guiding principle which has resulted in ongoing support to basket weavers in the Kavango region to establish and grow palm and dye tree homestead and community gardens. In 2019 Omba received a BOTSOC (Botanical Society of Namibia) award for this work.
Small is beautiful
The income from crafts has supported the education of our artisans’ children and the health and well-being of their families. As importantly, we have seen women grow in confidence and skills. Many have become community leaders where they play an important role in the well-being of their communities. In this way relatively small interventions with just a few score people at a time, can have broader and significant impacts at society level.