Hunters praised for outreach work

THE Namibia Professional Hunting Association (Napha) was last week applauded for helping train a substantial number of black people to become hunting guides and professional hunters.

“Through the excellent work of Napha Education Committee, in partnership with Eagle Rock School, we now have 102 fully trained and qualified black Namibian hunting guides and professional hunters,” said Environment and Tourism Minister Willem Konjore. Konjore was addressing the Napha annual general meeting in Windhoek on Wednesday.He said this was an excellent achievement by Napha, adding that he closely followed the work of Napha’s Education Committee, which has since the 1990s presented regular workshops for hunting assistants and camp attendants in order to improve their skills.He said as Napha’s social responsibility, nine schools have benefited from the donation of photocopiers, textbooks, stationery, sports equipments, mattresses and blankets.”These are but a few items that have helped improve not only the quality of education, but also the quality of the lives of the learners in those remote areas,” said Konjore.Konjore said his Ministry’s close co-operation with Napha members also had great success with the communal conservancy programme, which has allowed the registration of 50 communal conservancies.In many cases, he said, trophy hunting was the primary source of income for marginalised and remote communities.”Trophy hunting, both as a commercial industry as well as a wildlife management tool, holds super advantages for these communities, who often find themselves in direct competition with wildlife for the natural resources within their immediate surroundings,” he said.Konjore was addressing the Napha annual general meeting in Windhoek on Wednesday.He said this was an excellent achievement by Napha, adding that he closely followed the work of Napha’s Education Committee, which has since the 1990s presented regular workshops for hunting assistants and camp attendants in order to improve their skills.He said as Napha’s social responsibility, nine schools have benefited from the donation of photocopiers, textbooks, stationery, sports equipments, mattresses and blankets.”These are but a few items that have helped improve not only the quality of education, but also the quality of the lives of the learners in those remote areas,” said Konjore.Konjore said his Ministry’s close co-operation with Napha members also had great success with the communal conservancy programme, which has allowed the registration of 50 communal conservancies.In many cases, he said, trophy hunting was the primary source of income for marginalised and remote communities.”Trophy hunting, both as a commercial industry as well as a wildlife management tool, holds super advantages for these communities, who often find themselves in direct competition with wildlife for the natural resources within their immediate surroundings,” he said.