IT’S GETTING A BIT GRIM

Last Saturday (7 December) we arrived in Opuwo, after another beautiful route. Immediately after arrival we visited two supermarkets/wholesalers. The first real confrontation with serious poverty. Immediately people – mostly children – crowd around the car. Some with pieces of advertising brochures, being their wish list. There is a slight aggression. The way to the entrance of the shop is paved by a security guard who threateningly drives the people apart with a stick.

Fortunately, the atmosphere in the shop is calmer. Perhaps helped by the guard who, armed with a gun, keeps a close eye on the shelves and the bags.

In recent years, masses of Himba have sought refuge in the small town. A hopeless mission. Their fierceness in asking for help is understandable and sometimes also frightening.

We pitch our tent at a campsite a few kilometres further. Here we are the only guests, together with a Namibian in safari outfit. When we look at each other under a cold beer, the words in both of our eyes are: Exciting!
And that is partly because we are settling in here for the weekend to watch the last F1 GP of the year with shaky internet.

For Monday (today) we have an appointment in Okangwati (2 hours drive from Opuwo) with Urs (owner of a construction company), his wife Florenzia (teacher at a Himba school) and Andreas (German NGO). The main topics are: what kind of help is most needed now and how do we arrange that logistically. A wonderful meeting, where everyone is on the same page. That results in the following plan: René and Corine will arrange purchases in Opuwo tomorrow and the day after. Urs’ 6-ton 4×4 truck will pick up our order FREE of charge on Thursday and transport it to our distribution point: Florenzia’s school (truck distance 5 hours). The chiefs of surrounding Himba villages will be informed, so that they can pick up your groceries on Friday morning. The food bank… but very far away.