Orano Mining Namibia invests in local artistic talent

The training by Orano Mining Namibia forms part of a more extensive training project expected to continue in 2023 to expand the skills base of the craft artists in this community.

Orano Mining Namibia believes that craft production is an important income-generating industry for this area due to the high number of international tourists who visit Spitzkoppe, where artists sell their products directly to the tourists by the side of the road.

Christine de Klerk, communication and community consultant at Orano Mining Namibia, says the training covers topics such as product development, technical skills, and how to present the products they sell.



A knock-on effect

According to De Klerk, the craft artists will be able to offer a wider range of products, giving them a competitive advantage over other tourist attractions in Namibia and potentially leading to increased sales and income.

"The artists support their families, and potentially extended family. This money goes back into the community through purchasing products at the local market in town, which then boosts the economy further. It has a knock-on effect in the end," she said.

Orano Mining Namibia ventured into this project after observing previous projects in this area over the years.

"We know the community quite well and understand the dynamics of the economy and challenges they face. We believe in skills development; it is one of our key focus areas for community development, and although our funding may not be as big, we try to spend it where it can make a practical and lasting impact," said De Klerk.



Smart partnerships

The collaboration with Cosdef made sense for Orano Mining Namibia, as Cosdef is very experienced in similar projects countrywide, has good trainers, and is great at working with communities around the country.

The community was excited at the prospect of the sponsored training opportunity.

"They had really tough years with the drought followed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Their income from tourism was severely affected. Now that tourism is picking up, this is an opportunity for them to expand their businesses. We will remain close to them to track progress so that we are sure there is indeed a positive impact," said de Klerk.

The skills development project is expected to have a positive impact on income levels for the artists directly and potentially benefit a wider group of beneficiaries within the community indirectly.