As a Ju/’hoansi San woman threads a needle through a succession of sparkling black and ostrich shell beads in the soft golden sand of the Kalahari, she is overjoyed that Omba Arts Trust has placed new orders.
“I am so happy. It’s been so long since I worked with these beads on the Omba orders. You can see the tears of joy,” she says, smiling widely in a MaMoKoBo-produced fundraising video created to draw attention to the women and their work which has petered out to a trickle in the wake of Covid-19.
For 30 years, Omba Arts Trust’s orders for jewellery, textiles, bracelets and woven baskets have provided work for men and women living in harsh employment-scarce communities in rural Namibia, but the pandemic has been a devastating blow.
“Namibia closed its borders in March 2020 due to Covid-19, and all our tourists went home. Not only Omba but our 400 artisans, the majority of whom are women and many of whom are single heads of households, have lost between 85% and 90% of our incomes,” says Omba Arts Trust founder Karin le Roux.
“Omba’s main source of income is local tourism sales – retail and wholesale. This stopped completely in March up to September with the closure and now reduced days at the Namibia Craft Centre.
“We export small quantities, but with no flights leaving Namibia in the first few months this ceased as well. We have been supplying small orders to our export customers – but this is seasonal and is slowing down.”
Artisans who work with Omba to create stylish items rooted in ancient bead and basket weaving traditions use the money they earn from filling these orders to feed and clothe their families, maintain vegetable gardens and pay school levies.
“I have seen Omba grow and turn into a light of hope for Namibians all over the country. I have seen women and men grow as individuals becoming respected members of their communities but also valuable providers of their families,” says former Omba Arts Trust training coordinator Belinda Thanises.
“I have seen people with no hope in their eyes light up when they see Omba arrive to fulfil a promise made and which they did not believe would be kept. I have seen people who have never left their villages travel to other countries and share their culture and experiences. Omba has been the sister holding hands throughout it all.”
Though funds and orders remain low, Omba Arts Trust has been supplying food, tippy taps and clothes to various San communities.
“We have remained in contact with all the group leaders and they have been remarkably understanding. Some have even phoned in to find out how we are doing. Amazing,” says Le Roux, who is determined to see Omba Arts Trust survive and continue partnering the hundreds of artisans who depend on it.
These artisans are in the Ohangwena, Kavango East, Kunene, Erongo, Omaheke, Otjozondjupa, Oshana and Zambezi regions.
“We are on a major fundraising drive to get things going again which includes buying from the artisans, starting food security gardens, rebranding Omba and developing an online as well as social media marketing strategy and website,” Le Roux says.
“We plan to use this opportunity to ‘modernise’ Omba and find new ways of marketing and developing new products. We are in contact with our artisans and have started to place orders. There is some light at the end of the tunnel and most importantly a sense of connection and hope.”
The fundraising video produced by Andy Botelle of MaMoKoBo Video and Research and titled ‘Watering the Tree: A Namibian Covid Story’ is a step in a more digital direction and officially launches the Omba Covid-19 Artisan Support Fund.
“We have distributed it internationally to our network and it is on our Facebook page. We hope to submit it to local and international TV networks,” says Le Roux.
“The film is targeting US$50 000 to buy craft from our artisans so this money will go directly to them. We need to raise considerably more to cover field and training costs as well as some running costs for Omba. Our target is N$1 million to see us and our programmes through until next year when hopefully tourism will resume.”
Ordinary citizens can donate to the trust or support the artisans by purchasing their crafts at the Namibia Craft Centre.
“We are also hoping local corporates and international agencies supporting local NGOs can support our food security initiative,” says Le Roux.
“My hope is that the narrative in the video explains the relationship between Omba and the artisans and vice versa. How important the link is for rural women and marginalised communities, not just in terms of developing and buying craft but also regarding Omba’s deep connection and concern about their wellbeing.”
Thanises, who wrote the narration for the fundraising video, is just as ardent in her hope for Omba’s survival.
“If one day the unthinkable happens and Omba is no more, it will be a sad time for our Namibian rural population, therefore let’s keep the light burning at all costs.”
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