The aim of the center is to break the cycle of poverty by linking the earth, people, and economy together. So far they have maintained an orchard with more than 200 trees and they have managed to build a small classroom and toilet, drill a borehole, and a small garden.

Ester Mauta manages the center and has 2 full-time volunteers who help her with the orchards and the garden. She is also the one who does the weekly training with school children on permaculture. Although, the centre has very limited human capacity they manage to keep going and look for opportunities to improve. The main aim of the center is to see how to be careful about the way we use our resources – food, energy, shelter, and other material and non-material needs –  and make it possible to get much more out of life by using less.

Their current needs, to which you will contribute as an intern:

  • training residents on different innovations in sustainable living 
  • building accommodation for visitors with recycling materials 
  • expanding the orchard garden
  • looking into research opportunities and doing the research on how to promote and use the centre’s activities in relation to the inhabitants of Tsintsabis resettlement farm 
  • playing a role in acquiring more funding, currently financial possibilities will depend on a specific project that may arise

The centre’s main areas of focus is 

  • Promoting Tree planting
  • Renewable energy 
  • Eco building 
  • Organic gardening 

The intern(s) that Ester is looking for can develop a project looking at one of those areas of focus. The intern is not limited but should come and do a small project in that area. 

The research that the center also want is on how to link poverty, natural resources, economic opportunities, and people, to sum up, is to look at the socio-economic development of the people.

Due to the investments you need to make for this internship, possibilities for combining the internship with research can be discussed further.

For more information, please contact Dr. Stasja Koot from Sociology of Development and Change (SDC), who will also be your internship supervisor in case you decide to pick up this life-changing opportunity: stasja.koot@wur.nl

More about the centre:

Nghifindjala Training and Research Centre. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 352, Tsumeb , Namibia Physical Address: Resettlement Farm, Tsintsabis – Telephone:  081 211 2286 – E-Mail: enmauta@yahoo.com

Nghifindjala Training and Research Centre is a social entrepreneurship company that aims at promoting permaculture by educating people to respect and understand the linkage between the environment, themselves and their prosperity. By training them on how to preserve our ecosystems and create a balance in our biodiversity and restore our environment.

Background, vision.

Nghifindjala Training and Research Centre started in 2017 by Mauta Ester, after moving to Tsintsabis, Ester was inspired to start a campaign regarding climate change action with women who are at grassroots level across the globe.

Vision

Our vision is to promote environmental ethics, sustainable practices, and whole systems thinking. We create awareness on climate change and promote sustainable living to improve resilience of both the ecosystems and livelihoods and across productive Agriculture and protecting the ecosystems in Namibia.

Our services

The centre promotes new innovation on permaculture and conducts more research, and provides sufficient, quality and affordable products and services to its trainees.

This activity is done according to the three principles of permaculture

  • Preserve and learn from the natural places of the world.
  • Minimize the impact of man-made chemicals on natural systems;
  • Consider the implications of all human actions on the global web of life.

Our training will be fun, practical and it will be informative with always new innovation on permaculture. Our centre is willing to make a follow up with its customers in order to assess the execution of knowledge to be gained.

  • One-day workshops followed by application and assessments.
  • Includes teachers, learners, and community members.
  • Season-appropriate resources provided.
  • Well-designed materials for different age groups.

The level-appropriate syllabus focuses on fundamental concepts, critical analysis, problem-solving, and teamwork. Examples of topics include:

  • Community recycling and waste management;
  • Natural and environmental sciences;
  • Climate change understanding and action;
  • Ethics and leadership; and
  • Presentation skills
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Published by wurdevelopmentandchange