OPUWO - A non-profit organisation registered locally is committed to serve the long-term conservation of Namibia’s large carnivores, opened its doors to Onguta Children and their community by adding wildlife conservation to the school’s curriculum in the Kunene Region.

As a brainchild of the Director of AfriCat Foundation, Tammy Hoth and the Headman of Onguta, Fanuel Ndjiwa, the Onguta AfriCat Mobile Primary School is a school with firm walls, a library, a computer room and a community hall but most importantly, a School of learning Wildlife Conservation as key to bringing about co-existence between lions and farmers.  

AfriCat set out to make this dream come true, to finally present to the Onguta Community on July 11, 2019, this permanent school that took years of fundraising and dedicated donors to complete. 
Ndjiwa, who is an Otjiherero elder of the Ehirovipuka Conservancy, spent at least 25 years pre-Independence, in the Etosha National Park working in the then Department of Nature Conservation which paved his love, passion and understanding of all forms of wildlife.

According to the statement issued by Onguta, Ndjiwa is determined to protect the wildlife for the future of Onguta and the only sure way to achieve his dream is to build a school. 
The Onguta Mobile School Programme, based in Opuwo, established a tented-school in the Onguta Village at the end of 2017, with the Headman’s request to have it permanently based in his community’s best interests.

“AfricaCat has since dedicated its Communal Carnivore Conservation Programme to support the farmers’ livestock management, especially through improved Livestock Protection from conflict species such as lion and other predators. Lion-proof kraals (bomas) have been built in areas where predation is high, a lion guard and volunteer from the Onguta Community spend their days and nights patrolling the vast area and monitoring lion movement to minimise livestock losses,” Hoth explained.

The Official opening of the lower primary school was attended by a number of dignitaries, including Sesfontein Constituency Councillor, Julius Kaujova and the representative from the Namibian Government Honourable, Katuutire Kaura.