In Namibia – where we were fortunate to escape the punishing and extensive lockdowns endured by many countries, especially in 2020 – outdoor markets sprung up all around, boosting the income of hard-pressed home industries and providing a platform for struggling farmers to showcase their wonderful ‘local is
The Windhoek Connection
Why Local Is Truly Lekker
and find out about locally businessesownedinyourarea!
The Windhoek Connection, 13 September 2022
With the arrival of Covid-19, people took to making their own bread; sharing and swapping their excess home-grown produce; and utilising readily available local ingredients that maybe they previously rejected in favour of an expensive, imported ‘flavour-of-the-week’.
13 September 2022 Issue 31/2022
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Nevertheless,Dictionary.)
it remained something of a niche, new-agey concept until the coronavirus pandemic forced the world to pay attention to how a wide range of items arrive – or ceased to arrive – in neighbourhood stores. Suddenly, imported goods were notable by their absence and consumers began to appreciate the efforts of locals striving to keep shelves stocked, workers employed, and money circulating in their home economies.
In 2005, a drive to promote the consumption of locally produced foodstuffs took off in San Francisco and soon Americans wishing to reduce their carbon footprint and support local businesspeople were joining the locavore movement by opting to purchase seasonal produce grown by farmers in their areas. (Indeed ‘locavore’ was chosen as the 2007 Word of the Year by the New Oxford American
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During the dark days of 2020 and 2021, their business continued to grow as customers engaged with members of the group via social media; bought items online for home delivery; and purchased creations that were showcased at various markets in Windhoek and Swakopmund.
An awareness developed of the surprising variety of consumer items on offer –made by Namibians, in Namibia – which were of a high quality and competitively Topriced.give
lekker’ goods. Some people who suffered a loss of formal income back then discovered that they had a talent for entrepreneurship and grew their hobby into a business: sewing baby clothes, or nurturing seedlings, or inventing new braaispice mixes.
Now that we are moving towards a ‘new normal’, why should we continue to choose Namibian, seasonal produce and locally manufactured goods over those once-desirable imported items?
The debates about the credentials of local vs. imported products are convoluted; vested interests compete to convince consumers of the validity of their conflicting arguments. Certainly, a great deal of ‘greenwashing’ takes place whereby companies with much to lose if customers switch to eco-friendly alternatives carefully contrive their marketing and advertising campaigns so that cynical, token efforts towards ersatz sustainability are Thushighlighted.it’seasy to fall into the trap of thinking that products that seem to mitigate
one example, the informal ‘Sew Good’ women’s community project was set up in 2019 to provide an income to craftswomen in Otjomuise who upcycle discontinued furnishing fabric into bags, scarves, table runners, aprons etc.
The Windhoek Connection, 13 September 2022
With a great deal of contradictory information out there, it can be hard to keep up to speed with how we should modify our lifestyles so that we all work towards a greener future. Each country faces its own challenges and what works in one place is not feasible in a massive country with a tiny population such as Namibia. Nevertheless, the following pointers may be useful:
The Windhoek Connection, 13 September 2022
Page 3 Get your free copy today by sending your email address and number to 081 237 3003 The Windhoek Connection Get your free copy today by sending your email address and number to 081 237 3003
environmental impacts – such as brown-paper shopping bags or reusable bleached-cotton totes – must, by their very nature, be preferable to the alternatives. Yet this is not the case: 2020/04/30/plastic-paper-cotton-bags/https://news.climate.columbia.edu/(Indeedifyouconsistentlyre-use ‘singleuse’ plastic bags then you are actually choosing the most earth-friendly option!)
Imported goods are often cheaper and/or easier to find than local products because international companies can leverage economies of scale. But when a bag of out-of-season fruit has been brought to a store from right across the continent in a refrigerated truck or plane then the hidden costs, in terms of the carbon footprint of cross-border transportation, need to be taken into account.
Page 4 wipers,…bulletproofvests,fireescapes,windshieldandlaserprinterswereallallinventedbywomen.Didyouknow… The Windhoek Connection, 13 September 2022
The Windhoek Connection, 13 September 2022
Hanni
Lots of Namibians are downsizing and it’s useful to remember that somebody, somewhere, can make use of old stuff you may wish to throw out. It’s a
Similarly, if you can buy local, seasonal produce cheaply in bulk then there are plenty of websites (and maybe friends and relatives) that will provide step-by-step instructions on bottling jam or cooking pasta sauces that can be frozen. Try a ‘soup swap’: cook up a few extra portions using Namibian ingredients while they are at their best and exchange this for a container of your friend’s goulash or minestrone that you haven’t tried before.
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win-win if you can donate your unwanted fabric, rolls of wire, or paint to a craftsperson and thus finally clear out your garage. There are plenty of swap-and-sell groups online, or ask the artisans at your local craft centre or street-corner stall if they can utilise your ‘junk’! Try to keep your money circulating within the country. If you spot a shelf unit you like in an international chain store, then see if a local craftsperson can make it for you instead. Once again, the Internet is an invaluable resource in
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Also, do you really want to buy a punnet of peaches that are rock hard and tasteless in June?
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I offer you a 6 week class of Awareness Through Movement® lessons Wednesday 18.00 at the Resource Center (Dagbreek School, entrance Hebenstreit Street) Starting Wednesday 21.09.2022
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one-country’ honey you usually buy is a few cents cheaper than the organic ‘liquid gold’ from Zambezi Region… but when you search out and buy the latter every month, you are providing a steady income to uplift a Namibian family and help a Namibian business to grow. By supporting their hustle, you are enabling them to plan for the future –paying for a school uniform, renting a storeroom, making a down payment on vital equipment – in a way that was simply inconceivable in the Word-of-mouthpast. still plays a major role in connecting producers with consumers in Namibia. If you don’t know where to source something
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I offer you a 6 week class of Awareness Through Movement® lessons Wednesday 18.00 at the Resource Center (Dagbreek School, entrance Hebenstreit Street) Starting Wednesday 21.09.2022
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There’s a lot more than reducing stress going on here! We can do lessons to facilitate the development of comfort, flexibility, choice, authenticity, confidence, resilience, hope, and optimism. We can do lessons to free ourselves from long-time self-limiting patterns and bring our nervous system back to a relaxed, parasympathetic state. I believe this is one of the most profound benefits of the Feldenkrais Method®.” -David Zemach-Bersin
locating fine artisans who are working right here in your community and can compete on pricing and on quality if you just send them a photo of what you Disadvantagedneed.
The Windhoek Connection, 13 September 2022
Interested? You want to find out more? Call : Martina Schwardmann +264 81 5724757
Martina Charlotte FeldenkraisSchwardmann,Practitioner+264815724757,
I fully confirm this statement of my teacher D.Zemach- Bersin who was a student of Dr. Moshé Feldenkrais,the founder of the Feldenkrais Method®.
locals who can depend on a regular income – be it ever so small – from their hard work can make plans for the future that other citizens living literally hand-to-mouth cannot. This is an under appreciated benefit of prioritising local goods: perhaps the ‘product-of-more-than-generic
Lastly – and this is a less-obvious perk – by buying locally you will widen your circle of friends and make contact with a range of Namibians outside your ‘comfort zone’. The last few years have been lonely times for many of us but by making the effort to source your consumer goods from within Namibia, plus passing on or swapping what you don’t need, you will be surprised at how many new and valuable relationships you initiate. Certainly, many people who have brought from the ‘Sew Good’ project have mentioned how important it is to ‘know the story’ of the producers involved; the connection with these craftswomen – whom they would never otherwise have met – has added incalculable worth to the value of their purchases.
The Windhoek Connection, 13 September 2022
just ask around or search online. There’s hundreds of small-scale enterprises beyond the high-street outlets, offering cheaper and better goods.
This article was contributed by Mel Kelly. Mel is the volunteer manager of the ‘Sew Good’ project: WhatsApp: 081 127 1741. Facebook and Instagram: @sewgoodnamibia
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Nama craftswomen Amory Tjipepa and Julia Gomachas of the ‘Sew Good’ community project are able to derive a regular income from sales of their upcycled products.
Page 8 Visit our workshop at 35 Andimba Toivo ya Toivo Street, Southern Industrial Area, Windhoek. Contact us at darryl@woodies.com.na or 061 402 187 for more info. Available with the following sealers: clear, white, oak, teak and mahogany. New Pine wood furniture range - now available at WOODIES! Solid pine furniture, quality, durable and affordable.Over 3 MonthsLAY_______BYE I’m not pretty like you. I’m pretty like me! I’m not pretty like you. I’m pretty like me! Take time to do what makes toTakeSOULyourhappytimedowhatmakesyourSOULhappy The Windhoek Connection, 13 September 2022 STOOLKITCHEN 445mm (h) x 350mm (diameter) N$678.50 and Stain: N$115.35 645mm (h) x 350mm (diameter) N$718.75 and Stain: N$122.19 745mm (h) x 350mm (diameter) N$747.50 and Stain: N$127.08
• ½
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• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¾
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Mediterranean Pasta Salad Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the package directions, or until slightly past al dente. Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes, and salt. (Note: the dressing will have a strong flavor, it’ll mellow once it coats all of the pasta salad ingredients). Drain the pasta, toss it with a little olive oil (so that it doesn’t stick together) and let it cool to room temp. Transfer to a large bowl with cups uncooked fusilli pasta cups halved cherry tomatoes ½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed cups arugula cup cucumbers, sliced into thin half moons cup crumbled feta cheese cup basil leaves, torn cup minced parsley cup chopped mint cup toasted pine nuts
up!Eatup!Eat •
This fresh, easy pasta salad recipe comes together in under 30 minutes! Tossed in a tangy vinaigrette & filled with veggies, it's a sure cookout hit.
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
The Windhoek Connection, 13 September 2022
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• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning teaspoon red pepper flakes teaspoon sea salt
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Drumming Circle at Joe’s Beerhouse, Wednesday, 14 Sep · 6 – 7 PM
Drumming at Joe’s Beerhouse: Every Wednesday 6-7pm. Brought to you by Ongoma Drum Café Namibia. For adults and kids alike. Even for those who “don’t have rhythm”. Especially for those! Drums are provided. Fun is guaranteed. Entrance is free. Donations are welcome. (Suggested participation fee: N$ 50, kids N$ 20)
Die Götterolympiade, Thursday, 15 Sep · 7 – 9 PM Bereits seit Beginn des Schuljahres proben, singen, schauspielern und musizieren die Beteiligten. Die Moral des diesjährigen DHPS-Musicals: Wenn alle zusammenarbeiten, entsteht Verschiedenes, Einzigartiges, und dennoch ist es ein vollständiges Bild.
The Windhoek Connection,
Catch the full listing of all upcoming events in and around Windhoek at windhoekconnection.com.na
Registration required. Please let us know if you will attend in person at the Namibia Scientific Society. Otherwise, online participation via zoom. This is the link: https://zoom.us/j/ 8023841980,
13 September 2022
Finding and analyzing scat provides useful information on carnivores. Specially trained detection dogs can help researchers to find the scats of specific targets species. Tim Hoffmann describes how the Cheetah Conservation Fund trains scat detection dogs for important work on cheetah movements and ecology.
Book launch: The Hambukushu of Namibia’s Kavango East Region - A Comprehensive History, Thursday, 15 Sep · 6:30 – 8:30 PM
This event is open for public – everyone welcome! Venue is Namibia Scientific Society, Robert Mugabe Ave 110, opposite National Theatre.
NEWS talk: Tim Hofmann: Dogs at work! – Scat detection helps carnivore research., Tuesday, 13 Sep · 7 – 9 PM
up?What’sup?What’s
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Namibian Homeschoolers Expo, Saturday, 17 Sep · 9 AM – 3 PM
The Village Sunday Market, Sunday, 18 Sep · 9 AM – 3 PM
Book your table at The Restaurant at 081 366 4300.
The Windhoek Connection, 13 September 2022
Dinner & Dance @Blueberry Bistro, Friday, 16 Sep · 6:30 PM
Leandi du Randt, Saturday, 17 Sep · 6:30 – 10 PM
Join us Friday 16 September 2022 @ 18h30 were we host a Dinner & Dance @ Blueberry Bistro. Tickets N$200 per person including delicious dinner and a glass of wine. Tickets available at The Blueberry Bistro - Tel: +284 83 331 1553
Art exhibition: THREADS THAT BIND, by Urte Remmert, Friday, 16 Sep · 9 – 10 PM at The Project Room, 30 Julius Nyerere street | Lazarette Square | Windhoek
“This practice of drawing on hand-made paper, stitching, knotting, threading, combining, weaving and sorting, reminds me of the lightness of childhood, singing, playing, inventing and thinking.” - Urte Remmert
Join us at the Namibian Homeschoolers Expo: Saturday 17 September, 09h00 - 15h00 at the Christian Family Centre. Register for the event by completing the form: https://cambrilearn.com/pages/event-registration
Leandi du Randt kom gesels oor haar "hacks vir dir lewe". Windhoek, 17 September 2022 om 18h30 by die Lemon Tree Restaurant. Kaartjies is N$200 - etes sal te koop wees. Vir navrae en besprekings, kontak 081 288 2886.
Join us on Sunday, at The Village (18 Liliencron Street, Eros) for the Sunday Market. Enjoy fresh produce, live music and lots of kiddies activities - FREE ENTRANCE!
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Find and circle all of the countries of Africa that are hidden in the grid. The remaining letters spell seven more African countries.
