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.
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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!
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