Namibia is a semi-arid country and a climate change ‘hotspot’ in southern Africa. The Oshana Region has been hard-hit by droughts in particular, which have drastically disrupted farming practices and people’s livelihoods. Exacerbating these climate change impacts are various non-climatic issues including unemployment and gender norms that already put women at risk.

As part of the CDKN-funded project, Strengthening regional climate change governance through integrating gender-responsive climate action, the University of Namibia has produced a film that explores the experiences of community members in the Ongwediva constituency and documents the project activities. 

One of the project’s aims is to improve collaboration at the national, regional and local levels to enhance the adaptive capacity of communities in the Oshana Region.  

At the national level, the project has worked to strengthen the relationship between three governmental departments: the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism; the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development; and the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare.

At the regional level, the project has partnered with the Ongwediva Constituency Development Committee to inform community members about climate change and offer training on adaptation opportunities such as brick making and marula oil production, which can provide a supplementary income during hard times. As the Councilor of the Ongwediva Constituency, Hon. Andreas Uutoni, remarked, “We have to turn the negative impact of climate change into opportunities.”