The Eagle has landed in Windhoek after a long but informative and productive road trip. I'm home again and it's lovely.
Sunday 31 July 2011
Saturday 30 July 2011
On the road
Since Sunday 17th July my UNFPA and Namibian Red Cross colleagues and I have been on the road travelling through six regions in northern Namibia which had been affected by flooding, namely Kavango, Caprivi and the four 'O's i.e. Oshikoto, Oshana, Ohangwena and Omusati.
View My Saved Places in a larger map
The purpose of the visit was for me to familiarize myself with the regions, meet key actors involved in flood preparedness and response in regional and local government, local communities and NGOs and to see if there are any outstanding protection concerns now that most people have returned or are about to return home.
Our trip has even involved a two day speed boat ride up and down the Zambesi River in Caprivi region visiting communities that had either moved to relocation camps and were going back to home villages or had been on islands cut off by the floods who had received other displaced people. In between we took in the amazing and beautiful scenery, admiring the transition of vegetation and wildlife along the banks and getting a tad close to crocodiles, hippos and elephants. We camped out under the stars at Kasika and during the night we had some curious visitors, some elephants who wandered into the camp in search of food. I can't say that I rushed out in the early hours of the morning to greet them as it was too cold and they were much bigger than me!
Anyway the trip is nearing an end and we gathered a lot of information. Photos and stories will follow but for now I'm going to get something to eat, pack my case and get ready for an early start tomorrow, back on the road and homeward bound for Windhoek!
View My Saved Places in a larger map
The purpose of the visit was for me to familiarize myself with the regions, meet key actors involved in flood preparedness and response in regional and local government, local communities and NGOs and to see if there are any outstanding protection concerns now that most people have returned or are about to return home.
Our trip has even involved a two day speed boat ride up and down the Zambesi River in Caprivi region visiting communities that had either moved to relocation camps and were going back to home villages or had been on islands cut off by the floods who had received other displaced people. In between we took in the amazing and beautiful scenery, admiring the transition of vegetation and wildlife along the banks and getting a tad close to crocodiles, hippos and elephants. We camped out under the stars at Kasika and during the night we had some curious visitors, some elephants who wandered into the camp in search of food. I can't say that I rushed out in the early hours of the morning to greet them as it was too cold and they were much bigger than me!
Anyway the trip is nearing an end and we gathered a lot of information. Photos and stories will follow but for now I'm going to get something to eat, pack my case and get ready for an early start tomorrow, back on the road and homeward bound for Windhoek!
Sunday 24 July 2011
What am I doing here?
Hello readers! Greetings from Ongwediva, a town in Northern Namibia where I'm based for a week during a two week field trip to flood affected areas. I've just realised that I've been rambling on for a month now and haven't really told you much about what I'm really doing here have I? I'm not on holiday (honest!) although being in such a beautiful and fascinating country, I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.
Anyway, a few months ago I was accepted onto the ProCap roster. ProCap is short for the Protection Capacity Standby Project which is an inter-agency initiative to supply Senior Protection Specialists to UN field missions during emergencies or disaster preparedness phases. There are over 20 of us from different countries on the roster with diverse skills. The roster is managed by the Norwegian Refugee Council and is further supported by the ProCap support cell and Steering Committee in Geneva.
The UN OCHA Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa (ROSEA) requested a ProCap mission to follow up recommendations on a previous ProCap mission to Namibia in 2010. This involves strengthening coordination to ensure protection concerns and issues are identified and addressed expediently during emergencies, especially natural disasters such as floods and droughts, training key personnel from UN agencies, Government ministries and Non Governmental Organisations in protection work and raising awareness of rights of displaced people in disasters and ensuring that protection is included in contingency planning for future emergencies. I am seconded into UNFPA in Namibia for a 6 month period and I'm working with UNFPA colleagues and professionals in other UN agencies, like an inter-agency resource. It is an interesting mission.
What does protection mean? Well according to the Inter-Agency Standing Committee "protection covers a wide range of activities that are aimed at ensuring respect for the rights of all individuals regardless of their age, gender, social, ethnic, national, religious or other background. This requires a collaborative and coordinated response by various national and international actors with diverse mandates, expertise and experience." So in natural disasters, such as flooding, when people have to move away from their homes when flooded out, these activities include making sure every affected family has access to basic relief assistance (i.e. food, shelter, water, sanitation, health etc), helping families to be reunited if separated during flight, replacing lost identity documents and other important documents, preventing and responding to physical abuse including sexual violence, helping families to rebuild their homes and livelihoods after the relief phase has passed and upholding the rule of law. I'll tell you more about our work as time goes on. Meanwhile enjoy a relaxing Sunday!
Anyway, a few months ago I was accepted onto the ProCap roster. ProCap is short for the Protection Capacity Standby Project which is an inter-agency initiative to supply Senior Protection Specialists to UN field missions during emergencies or disaster preparedness phases. There are over 20 of us from different countries on the roster with diverse skills. The roster is managed by the Norwegian Refugee Council and is further supported by the ProCap support cell and Steering Committee in Geneva.
The UN OCHA Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa (ROSEA) requested a ProCap mission to follow up recommendations on a previous ProCap mission to Namibia in 2010. This involves strengthening coordination to ensure protection concerns and issues are identified and addressed expediently during emergencies, especially natural disasters such as floods and droughts, training key personnel from UN agencies, Government ministries and Non Governmental Organisations in protection work and raising awareness of rights of displaced people in disasters and ensuring that protection is included in contingency planning for future emergencies. I am seconded into UNFPA in Namibia for a 6 month period and I'm working with UNFPA colleagues and professionals in other UN agencies, like an inter-agency resource. It is an interesting mission.
What does protection mean? Well according to the Inter-Agency Standing Committee "protection covers a wide range of activities that are aimed at ensuring respect for the rights of all individuals regardless of their age, gender, social, ethnic, national, religious or other background. This requires a collaborative and coordinated response by various national and international actors with diverse mandates, expertise and experience." So in natural disasters, such as flooding, when people have to move away from their homes when flooded out, these activities include making sure every affected family has access to basic relief assistance (i.e. food, shelter, water, sanitation, health etc), helping families to be reunited if separated during flight, replacing lost identity documents and other important documents, preventing and responding to physical abuse including sexual violence, helping families to rebuild their homes and livelihoods after the relief phase has passed and upholding the rule of law. I'll tell you more about our work as time goes on. Meanwhile enjoy a relaxing Sunday!
Friday 15 July 2011
No country for old vegetarians
Not that I'm old nor a vegetarian, though I have often contemplated becoming one....oh and in fact I was one once in my early 20s before I came to Africa for the first time. Then I was dropped off in the middle of nowhere for a month in Kenya to do some research and was confronted with the choice of 'eat goat or eat nothing', so very quickly my vegetarian principles evaporated in the African sun.
Anyway I have noticed that Namibia is not a country for vegetarians or vegans. There is a lot of meat around, of all kinds, yes you have the usual beef, chicken, pork and lamb but you also get the dried kind, 'biltong', and an array of game including springbok, gemsbok, kudu, oryx, zebra, ostrich and crocodile. Today I forayed into the famous watering hole of many a Windhoek resident and tourist, Joe's Beer House where I sampled a Namibian Bush Fire platter consisting of ostrich steak, and hefty chunks of kudu and springbok served in a rich red wine sauce with green beans wrapped in bacon and straw potatoes all neatly arranged around a lit shot of schnapps, quite a sight to behold.
Fire seems to be a theme at the Beer House. My colleague who works for UNICEF and I sat at a long table near an open fire. We were in the boma which is basically a large, rotunda open to the night air, only partially covered. In the middle is a huge raised open fire basket made of iron rebar in which large tree trunks are ignited to keep customers warm. It is quite a spectacle especially when the over zealous beer house staff put trunks that were much too tall for the basket into the fire and then ran around prodding and poking the smouldering logs into a frenzy sending a fountain of sparks in our direction. Thankfully my reflexes were in order and I managed to duck to prevent my hair from catching fire. After gorging on meat we indulged further by enjoying warm, chunky chocolate cake served with vanilla cream, berries and ice cream, washed down with the house speciality, a shot of Jagermeister (sounds like a James Bond villain or Frankenstein's brother) a potent liqueur, so if you don't burn on the outside from being too close to said fire basket you burn on the inside instead. Well it isn't a bad idea really on a cold, clear night under a full moon.
Anyway I have noticed that Namibia is not a country for vegetarians or vegans. There is a lot of meat around, of all kinds, yes you have the usual beef, chicken, pork and lamb but you also get the dried kind, 'biltong', and an array of game including springbok, gemsbok, kudu, oryx, zebra, ostrich and crocodile. Today I forayed into the famous watering hole of many a Windhoek resident and tourist, Joe's Beer House where I sampled a Namibian Bush Fire platter consisting of ostrich steak, and hefty chunks of kudu and springbok served in a rich red wine sauce with green beans wrapped in bacon and straw potatoes all neatly arranged around a lit shot of schnapps, quite a sight to behold.
Fire seems to be a theme at the Beer House. My colleague who works for UNICEF and I sat at a long table near an open fire. We were in the boma which is basically a large, rotunda open to the night air, only partially covered. In the middle is a huge raised open fire basket made of iron rebar in which large tree trunks are ignited to keep customers warm. It is quite a spectacle especially when the over zealous beer house staff put trunks that were much too tall for the basket into the fire and then ran around prodding and poking the smouldering logs into a frenzy sending a fountain of sparks in our direction. Thankfully my reflexes were in order and I managed to duck to prevent my hair from catching fire. After gorging on meat we indulged further by enjoying warm, chunky chocolate cake served with vanilla cream, berries and ice cream, washed down with the house speciality, a shot of Jagermeister (sounds like a James Bond villain or Frankenstein's brother) a potent liqueur, so if you don't burn on the outside from being too close to said fire basket you burn on the inside instead. Well it isn't a bad idea really on a cold, clear night under a full moon.
Thursday 14 July 2011
Walk on the wild side
Golly, I've just realised that it has been a few days since my last post! Last Sunday I joined the sister of a friend of a friend of mine called Denyse, her dogs and her friends (and their dogs) for a long ramble in the countryside just outside Windhoek. We began in Avis and started hiking through farmland and kept walking, and walking and then we walked some more, stopping occasionally to nibble on sesame brittle or fish finger sandwiches whilst admiring the diverse birdlife or strange tree shapes....
So we kept walking in the foothills of the Auas mountains and managed to take a wrong turning and ended up in South Olympia miles away from where we had parked the cars! Never mind. One of Denyse's friends came to the rescue and picked us up. It was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday and so peaceful too.
So we kept walking in the foothills of the Auas mountains and managed to take a wrong turning and ended up in South Olympia miles away from where we had parked the cars! Never mind. One of Denyse's friends came to the rescue and picked us up. It was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday and so peaceful too.
Sunday 10 July 2011
Home sweet new home
Hello! Yesterday, I moved into a lovely little, self-contained flat in the grounds of a hacienda-style private house, next to the Russian Embassy on Jan Jonker Weg in Klein Windhoek. I'm feeling at home already, especially when I sit out in the garden, next to the swimming pool, the outdoor bar and dining area.....
The flat is a short walk from UN House and if I go the other way down the hill I find myself at Maerua Mall where I did all my food shopping. It has plenty of shops, plus a cinema and a Virgin Active gym and pool which I hope to try out at some point!
Thursday 7 July 2011
Through a glass darkly....
Tuesday 5 July 2011
Ooh I'm all of a quiver
Although the Botanical Gardens were closed by the time I walked past, I was able to peer over the fence and spotted an unusual native tree species which belongs to the aloe family - the quiver tree or Aloe dichotoma. So called owing to the San practice of hollowing out the tubular branches to form quivers for arrows. Here is a short video in which David Attenborough explains how quiver trees survive in the desert.
Sunday 3 July 2011
The rhythm of life.....
....in Windhoek is somewhat laid back compared to the hustle and bustle hurly burly of good ole London Town, which is a city that lives and breathes 24/7. Last Sunday morning I wandered into town from the guest house on Uhland Street and wondered where all the traffic was. The streets seemed deserted. Although the shops were open in the morning there were not many people around. Apparently shops close up by 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays and even places of interest such as museums shut up shop at weekends.
Yesterday, after buying a couple of extra jumpers in town (for the cold nights) I decided to walk back to Klein Windhoek along Sam Nujoma Drive. I had planned to pop into the Botanical Gardens but walking past, I noticed a sign saying that they were only open Mondays to Fridays from 8.00 til 17.00 and closed at weekends and public holidays! What a shame.
I think many people drive out of the city to the villages to spend their weekends or enjoy chilling out with family and friends at home.
Yesterday, after buying a couple of extra jumpers in town (for the cold nights) I decided to walk back to Klein Windhoek along Sam Nujoma Drive. I had planned to pop into the Botanical Gardens but walking past, I noticed a sign saying that they were only open Mondays to Fridays from 8.00 til 17.00 and closed at weekends and public holidays! What a shame.
I think many people drive out of the city to the villages to spend their weekends or enjoy chilling out with family and friends at home.
Saturday 2 July 2011
Contemplating the morning light
There is something very beautiful about the early morning sunlight here. Perhaps it is because the sky is fresh and clear, there is no 'smog' and there is little to no artificial light pollution around to interfere with its purity. Mornings like this make me feel glad to be alive and ready to step into the day.
Friday 1 July 2011
...and so ends the first week
It is now Friday afternoon and I'm sitting out on the veranda in the late afternoon sunshine. I can't believe how quickly my first week in Namibia is zipping by. It has mainly been a week of introductions, to my UNFPA colleagues and key people in other UN agencies such as UNICEF, UNHCR, UNAIDs, UNDP, WFP and FAO. Not everyone was around as there are a couple of large conferences going on in Windhoek at the moment including one on Education so no doubt I will have more introductions next week. I also met a counterpart in the Namibian Red Cross who gave me a thorough briefing on the current situation in flood affected areas in the north of the country. I hope to do the rounds at various Government ministries next week and plan a field trip as soon as possible. I have settled into my office, it looks tidy doesn't it? Bet it won't stay like that for long!
In between I've made contact with a couple of estate agents and viewed a couple of properties yesterday. All I need is a studio or one bedroom flat/apartment to rent for 6 months but these seem to be quite hard to come by as properties are quite large e.g. 3 or 4 bedrooms with ensuite, 2 garages etc. I will see another property this evening. I circulated an email around the UN yesterday and received some emails and phone calls of friends of friends informing me of some options plus an invitation to join the International Women's Association of Namibia which welcomes newcomers to Namibia, organises social and charity fundraising events and supports a number of local charities which assist vulnerable women and children. This sounds interesting so I will check them out. It might be a great way to make friends as well as doing something in my free time.
In between I've made contact with a couple of estate agents and viewed a couple of properties yesterday. All I need is a studio or one bedroom flat/apartment to rent for 6 months but these seem to be quite hard to come by as properties are quite large e.g. 3 or 4 bedrooms with ensuite, 2 garages etc. I will see another property this evening. I circulated an email around the UN yesterday and received some emails and phone calls of friends of friends informing me of some options plus an invitation to join the International Women's Association of Namibia which welcomes newcomers to Namibia, organises social and charity fundraising events and supports a number of local charities which assist vulnerable women and children. This sounds interesting so I will check them out. It might be a great way to make friends as well as doing something in my free time.
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