Staff Reporter
Windhoek
Taking care of the daily business of life and contributing to a worthwhile cause at the same time is one of the innovative ways Nedbank Namibia, through its Go Green Fund, is helping clients live better lives. In 2001, with the launch of the landmark Go Green Fund, Nedbank Namibia spearheaded the concept of green banking in Namibia.
Clients partnering with the bank through home loans or vehicle finance products, not only invest in their future, but also help to make a real difference in the lives’ of other Namibians, wildlife and the country’s diverse, but fragile, environment.
“If you purchased a home or vehicle through us, it makes you part of this incredible fund and conservation efforts across the whole of Namibia,” Jacky Tjivikua: Manager: Go Green, CSI and Sponsorship at Nedbank Namibia, said.
While taking care of the day-to-day demands of busy lives, many Namibians grapple to carve out time to invest in worthwhile projects close to their heart.
Through partnering with Nedbank Namibia however, the wish to upgrade the family vehicle or investing in a home, offers an effective way to invest in a better future for Namibia.
“I think people try to do good whenever they can, for their community and the environment. If you know that by purchasing a home or car through us, you are able to connect to a bigger conservation effort. This makes it worthwhile for our clients,” Tjivukua noted.
Over the past 17 years, the Go Green Fund has supported more than 40 environmental initiatives. Many of these projects helped put Namibia on the map as a prime conservation destination and helped earn the country the reputation as “the most successful conservation story ever told.”
“Each time a client makes Nedbank a partner, we contribute an amount to the Go Green Fund at no additional cost to the client. Therefore, all our home loan and vehicle loan clients are contributing to our environment in a positive way,” Tjivikua said.
In recent years, awareness of the urgency to protect and understand environmental issues has increased significantly.
“More people care about how we live, and how our lives affect future generations.”
Nedbank’s decision to link its business to environmental work began more than a decade and a half ago, before words such as climate change and environmental sustainability became popular catch phrases in the global lexicon.
“Nedbank had the foresight of the importance of this issue 17 years ago, with the launch of the Go Green Fund,” Tjivikua said. “And contributed more than N $7 million to the fund to date.”
Nedbank recognized that institutions of its kind have an important role to play in “preserving Namibia’s natural heritage for future generations.”
The wide-ranging projects initiated with support from the fund, have impacted the lives of communities, boosted knowledge on the environment, raised awareness, and helped bring many crucial topics to the forefront of public and government discourse.
“You cannot look after or plan for what you don’t know about. The research we support through the Go Green fund allows us to better understand the environment we are living in and to make informed decisions about how we can use that space,” Tjivikua emphasised.
A recent example is the work of the Namibia Dolphin Project, which has received support since 2009, with the provision of three grants from the Go Green Fund.
The Dolphin Project’s baseline studies and their investigation into the impacts of large scale port expansion plans at Walvis Bay, has led to active discussions with authorities to help mitigate potential threats to the dolphin population along the coast.
“The Nedbank Go Green Fund is not lip-service. We didn’t climb on the green bandwagon yesterday. It’s a genuine fund established by stakeholders who decided to do good in a smart and creative way,” Tjivikua said.