Mbamba Campsite in the Kavango makes progress

THE Mbamba Campsite, located in the Joseph Mbambangadu Conservancy about 40 km from Rundu, has made an income of N$45 000 since it became operational.

The Chairman of Mbamba Campsite, Joseph Lipange, told The Namibian that both the campsite and the conservancy were officially launched on February 23 last year by Environment and Tourism Minister Willem Konjore. Lipange said the campsite makes money from campers, guided tours, mukoro river outings and selling of firewood.The campsite has two mukoros (dugout canoes) for visitors who want to explore the Okavango River.The trips vary from one hour to a full day in length.The campsite also has four tents that it rents out to campers at a cost of N$70 per person per night.Campers who bring their own tents have to pay N$50 per person per night.Mbamba Campsite is home to over 2 000 bird species, including eight heron, five kingfisher, four bee-eater, six cuckoo and 15 birds of prey species.Both the conservancy and the campsite are enjoying huge support from the Namibia Nature Foundation’s Every River Has Its People Project, a trans-boundary project aimed at wise utilisation of the resources of the Okavango River involving Namibia, Angola and Botswana.Dorothy Wamunyima, the co-ordinator of the project, says they are helping the campsite to establish a fish and crocodile farm.”The crocodiles will lay eggs, which they will sell,” Wamunyima says.In September, Wamunyima was awarded the International Water Resources Management Award for an impressive water-management programme she had designed, involving local communities.She received the award at a four-week conference held in Stockholm, Sweden, by the Swedish International Water Agency.Wamunyima says the NNF is marketing both the conservancy and the campsite internationally to boost their income.According to Lipange, the campsite also offers traditional fresh food and traditional dances and bird-watching.At the moment, the campsite has N$24 000 in its bank account.Lipange said the campsite has not yet distributed money to its members.When it has built up a sufficient reserve, money will probably be used for buying oxen to help plough conservancy members’ mahangu fields, or for buying school uniforms for their children.”Our people are committed to the protection of natural resources,” said Lipange.The Joseph Mbambangadu conservancy’s 2 505 members are drawn from four villages – Utokota, Gove, Matjenya and Tyeye.It has a 10-member committee, including the senior headman of Gove villae, Napenda Mbambangandu.Chief Mbambagandu is the son of the late traditional leader of the Sambyu people, Joseph Mbambangandu, after whom the conservancy is named.In an interview with The Namibian, 109-year-old Mbambangdu said he was pleased that the conservancy had been named after his father, as his father’s name will be known by future generations.Lipange said the campsite makes money from campers, guided tours, mukoro river outings and selling of firewood.The campsite has two mukoros (dugout canoes) for visitors who want to explore the Okavango River.The trips vary from one hour to a full day in length.The campsite also has four tents that it rents out to campers at a cost of N$70 per person per night.Campers who bring their own tents have to pay N$50 per person per night.Mbamba Campsite is home to over 2 000 bird species, including eight heron, five kingfisher, four bee-eater, six cuckoo and 15 birds of prey species.Both the conservancy and the campsite are enjoying huge support from the Namibia Nature Foundation’s Every River Has Its People Project, a trans-boundary project aimed at wise utilisation of the resources of the Okavango River involving Namibia, Angola and Botswana.Dorothy Wamunyima, the co-ordinator of the project, says they are helping the campsite to establish a fish and crocodile farm.”The crocodiles will lay eggs, which they will sell,” Wamunyima says.In September, Wamunyima was awarded the International Water Resources Management Award for an impressive water-management programme she had designed, involving local communities.She received the award at a four-week conference held in Stockholm, Sweden, by the Swedish International Water Agency.Wamunyima says the NNF is marketing both the conservancy and the campsite internationally to boost their income.According to Lipange, the campsite also offers traditional fresh food and traditional dances and bird-watching.At the moment, the campsite has N$24 000 in its bank account.Lipange said the campsite has not yet distributed money to its members.When it has built up a sufficient reserve, money will probably be used for buying oxen to help plough conservancy members’ mahangu fields, or for buying school uniforms for their children.”Our people are committed to the protection of natural resources,” said Lipange.The Joseph Mbambangadu conservancy’s 2 505 members are drawn from four villages – Utokota, Gove, Matjenya and Tyeye.It has a 10-member committee, including the senior headman of Gove villae, Napenda Mbambangandu.Chief Mbambagandu is the son of the late traditional leader of the Sambyu people, Joseph Mbambangandu, after whom the conservancy is named.In an interview with The Namibian, 109-year-old Mbambangdu said he was pleased that the conservancy had been named after his father, as his father’s name will be known by future generations.