So where exactly is AMO?

She’s at the Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust (NaDEET), a small NGO that empowers and educates Namibians to live sustainably by providing experiential environmental education programmes to school children, community groups, AIDS Educators, nature conservation and tourism operators.

Have a look at the website (which I’ve been updating)

http://www.nadeet.org/

And if you do have a look, please leave a message in the Guestbook – it would be great to get some feedback from home.  If you find any broken links, or something that doesn’t work, please let me know so I can fix it!

What is sustainable living?

 Sustainable living enables everyone to:

 *balance the social, political and environmental aspects of their existence

 *improve their quality of life

 *share responsibility in managing the Earth’s resources

 *save money!

That is, just use as much as you need so there’s enough for everyone.

Viktoria Keding is NaDEETs talented and fearless leader who, with her partner Andreas, conceived, built, raised money, designed and delivered the various educational programmes, and writes and publishes a number of award-winning environmental literacy publications – it’s an impressive list! 

Originally designed to provide programmes specifically for school children, the organisation has continued to evolve and devise creative ways to improve the quality of life of many, many Namibians.

The NaDEET programme is extremely modern using learner-centred and the teaching/learning/reflection methodologies (for the teachers amongst us) with targeted and practical activities designed to enable participants to actually “walk the talk”.

Generally, groups spend a week at NaDEET Centre located in a dune valley about 1.5km from base (a 20 min walk for people of average fitness) – OK, yes it does take me more than 20 min to walk there, but I am getting faster (well I was until I corked a calf muscle whilst doing a brief recreation of a scene from The Sound of Music where Maria goes dancing over the mountains with guitar case in hand – look, it seemed like a good idea at the time …)  

Participants measure and monitor all energy and water usage and waste products created and learn practical ways to decrease use of resources in short supply like water, wood (for cooking and heating water); reduce household expenditure on expensive or non-renewable energy sources like gas, electricity (by using solar cookers and ovens); discover ways to reduce waste by reducing, reusing and recycling materials; and learn to appreciate the value (and beauty) of biodiversity.

 

Learning activities are also designed to enable participants to develop core life skills like team work, initiative, improved English and general communication skills, self-organisation, and an understanding of what “life-long” learning means (my fellow educators will most likely recognise the list – called employability skills in Oz).

So how is AMO contributing to this worthy enterprise?

I spend a fair amount of time at NaDEET base (see below):  

 

Firstly, I’d probably have to say that I have rather distinguished myself by proving staffers with an almost immeasurable number of opportunities to have a good belly-laugh – whether it’s getting the ute royally bogged in sand requiring a tow; becoming completely confused on how to use the reserve radio (no, it’s not a mobile phone AMO), tripping over my feet on a disturbingly regular basis, bouncing chairs into my face (you should try it – it’s not that easy!), breaking dune-boards, experiencing significant difficulty in using a key to open a door etc etc etc/

Honestly, I’m worried that I may have actually left my brain in Sydney!  No, seriously, it’s part of the process of totally removing yourself from your comfort zone and struggling a but until you get the hang of things.

So apart from updating the new website (which I know you’re all going to have a look at), I’m also:

·         Mapping NaDEET’s learning outcomes to the new Namibian curriculum and subject syllabi so schools can link LO’s to the NaDEET programme for training and assessment purposes

·         Visiting local communities to assist with community evaluations and as part of the UN Year of Forests by planting trees in residents’ gardens (deforestation is a significant concern here)

·         Cooking

·         Providing basic PC skills training for staff

·         Did I mention cooking yet?

·         Teaching guitar (extracurricular activity), and

·         Cooking, or did I already mention that?

So, can you help?
You know, I was just thinking that Xmas is coming up soon and I know most of us have organisations we like to support particularly at this time of year, so I’m going to ask you to maybe add NaDEET to your giving list this year if you can.

NaDEET runs almost exclusively on private donations and as you can imagine, there is never enough and so much to do.  Namibia is a developing economy with a high unemployment level (around 50%) and is also seriously affected by HIV/AIDS.  There’s a wonderful new generation of Namibians coming though (I’ve met some really impressive young Namibians here) and they are not looking for “hand-outs”, but rather a “leg-up”. 

So think about it - you can make more of a difference than you already do – donation link here.

http://www.nadeet.org/donations

(You will need to go to your bank to do an international transfer – or email me and we’ll work something out)

You can also come see TRANSIT at the Kurnell Recreation Club on Fri 2/12 (provided they haven’t found a better keyboard player than me – now really, all modesty aside, I reckon that wouldn’t be that easy).  It’s a night not to be missed – come watch a seriously jetlagged KB player try and stay on her feet and remember the notes to 37 songs – should be a hoot!  We’re donating our fee to NaDEET so come add to the pot.  I’ll add an extra $1 for each wrong note I play and you guys can add $1 for each correct note I play – should be a 50/50 proposition depending on the trip back!

OK, that’s it for this one – many more to come on UN Year of Forest, Desert Masterchef Comp, Update on Gear Selection, Meet the people at NaDEET.

Take care all.