Do you know the San ethnic minority?
The San are considered the indigenous people of southern Africa. Over the millennia, their habitat was increasingly restricted by the influx of the Bantu ("Black Africans") and the Europeans. This also meant that their culture was lost.
Many San can no longer speak their language, although one has to understand that the San language does not exist at all, but 7 different language groups exist within the San community. Each group speaks such a different language that they cannot understand each other, although to our ears they do "clicks" listen very similar.
Today living in Namibia...
Some 10.000 San still live in Namibia today, impoverished, poorly ill or not cared for at all and with only a rudimentary education. Their great knowledge of medicinal plants is buried with the older generation and the younger ones somehow try to survive in the modernizing society.
during the corona crisis
During the corona crisis, we are unfortunately observing a dramatic deterioration in the living conditions of the San. 24 children from this ethnic fringe group come to our project Gobabis and are cared for here together with other children from other tribes and looked after at school. Her parents, if they are still alive, have previously made ends meet as day laborers and are now also dependent on external help.
No child, no person should be excluded because of another language or culture.
There are already approaches to involve the San more in ecotourism as experienced rangers. They pass on their knowledge as tour guides. While this development is actively supported by German development aid, we want to secure the existence of all those who continue to live below the subsistence level and who, for the foreseeable future, have little chance of finding work in the formal sector.
What can you do?
Above all, through our guardian angel program, we can support the San in the long term and contribute to the inclusion of the San.