Pricilla Mukokobi
Couple Kat Stahl and Wynand Lens recently completed the beautification of the municipal bus stops along Kwame Nkrumah street in the Ludwigsdorf residential area of Windhoek.
Before painting the bus stop, the couple had re-painted the ugly spray-painted (graffiti) and withered electricity substation nearby some two years ago.
Themed ‘Authentic Namibia’, the bus stop now proudly displays a wildlife scene and animals.
Asked how they came up with the theme, Stahl said: “Nature is beautiful and Namibia has one of the most beautiful natures. That, I’m sure, we can all agree on”.
Stahl told VIBEZ! that whenever they drove in that street, they kept saying someone needs to do something about this someday.
“One day we sat down and discussed like why should this somebody not be us and why should they be somebody else instead of us?” she added.
With permission from the City of Windhoek, the two sketched out their ideas, went to buy paint, and started sprucing up the sad-looking bus stop over a couple of weekends.
Stahl noted that at first, they were worried about what people would say when they see them painting and that they would be chased away, but they continued with motivation from passers-by.
It took them 20 hours over the course of three weeks to complete the project.
She further stated that it is easy to complain about things that are not right, but once one starts acting on it, one “turns that frown upside down” and not just one’s own.
“Me and my partner like to take action instead of complaining about things,” said Stahl.
She described themselves as “just ordinary people” with full-time jobs; she is a German teacher and Lens a game designer.
They are thrilled that people love their painting, and it is worth every dollar they spent out of their own pockets.
“We love being the change we want to see in the world, however cheesy this might sound. Because when it is actually lived out, it really makes the world a better place and each of us can do their little part,” said Stahl.
The pair decided to spend another few weekends painting and beautifying more bus stops.
“Since we got so much feedback, we will now continue one bus station at a time, and hopefully, together with the City of Windhoek, get local artists involved to branch out all over Windhoek, including Katutura,” she said proudly.
Stahl, however, stressed that they don’t want to advertise that everyone should go out and paint a public area, “but everyone could make their own neighbourhood a bit nicer through any small deed – like picking up trash or just giving someone a smile”.
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