Aletta Shikololo
WINDHOEK – The University of Namibia (Unam)’s Heritage Conservation Management postgraduate students last Saturday volunteered their time to clean up one of Windhoek’s tourist attractions-the Owela Museum which for years was an eyesore.
The museum’s attraction has over the years been compromised by litter and clutter. The senior curator at Owela Museum, Olivia Nakale told Youth Corner that the rubbish around the museum was caused by the homeless people who have over the years made the tourist attraction their residence as well as members of the public who mostly have their lunch in the yard of the museum.
Nakale stressed that the museum is a national symbol that should be kept clean at all times and people using the yard of the museum to relax during lunch hours should have the courtesy of dumping their litter in the provided garbage bins.
She further said that a permanent solution will be sought where homeless people would no longer need to occupy the museum premises.
Meanwhile, Penda Shimali a postgraduate Heritage conservation Management student at Unam said that he and fellow students only learned recently of the museum’s deplorable condition. He added that the students will in future volunteer their time to clean the museum to maintain hygiene.
“We are mostly interested in cleaning places that are related to our studies which include the museum and we noticed that it needs urgent attention,” Shimali explained.