Samarbetsland: Namibia

Youth project

The cooperation between Höör and Lüderitz has resulted to a one year youth project in the field of culture and leisure.

The project is aimed at increasing and encouraging a range of possible extra curriculum/leisure activities that the youth can engage in and at the same time involve and encourage the youth into different democratic activities which will influence their participation in political activities and systems in the area.

This they hope to achieve through what they call “junior council”; a forum in which the youth will be encouraged a given opportunity to hold different discussions. A lot of study visits and exchange of information between the two municipalities will also help towards achieving the goals.

The overall expected result is that the youth will have more leisure activities and as such reduce their incidences of idleness that can lead to gang activities and at the same time, they will be able to get a voice to represent themselves, in different political and democratic activities within the municipalities. Being a mutually beneficial project, it is hoped that both Höör municipality and Lüderitz will benefit in the process of information exchange.

Projektområde
Culture, leisure, sport and/or tourism
Svensk partner
Höör kommun
Internationell partner
Lüderitz Town Council

Cooperation Malmö-Swakopmund part 2 – ESD

The overall objective is: A sustainable city with engaged citizens.

The project objective is: Learners and pedagogues are more aware of what a sustainable city is and how they can contribute in creating it.

The specific objectives are:

  • Making a situation analysis
  • Developing training activities
  • Developing educational material for teachers and students
  • Giving seminars for teachers
  • Developing a teacher’s manual
  • Giving workshops for students
  • Evaluating the project
Projektområde
Education
Svensk partner
Malmö stad
Internationell partner
Municipality of Swakopmund

Potential Alternative Energy Sources for Swakopmund

This is a three-year project resulting from the cooperation between Malmö municipality and Swakompund in Namibia. The cooperation is in the field of environmental management and this is aimed at improving on the usage of different sources of energy other than coal.

The objectives of the project are to provide hot water for the townships in a cheap and environmentally friendly way and to support community members to start small businesses that build and sell solar collectors. This will be done by creating simple and cheap solar collectors that can be used in the townships and to train community members on how to build them. There will also be a parallel process with information and education towards the more wealthy parts of the city to make them act as role models and start using solar collectors; although maybe a more advanced model.

The long-term expected results is that there will be decreased usage of coal as energy source and thus less degradation of the environment with regards to immediate results, it is expected that there will be increased knowledge among community members about solar energy and how it can be used, increased use of solar power in the city and more small businesses started by former unemployed community members which in turn is hoped to address the issue of poverty. Both Malmö and Swakompund are deemed to benefit from the project in terms of knowledge and skills that will result from the technical part of implementation.

Projektområde
Environment/Climate change
Svensk partner
Malmö stad
Internationell partner
Municipality of Swakopmund

Awareness III Urban gardening

In Swakopmund there is limited access to locally produced, affordable and nutritious food. This is due to lack of knowledge and possibilities combined with harsh climatic conditions. This affects food security and health status of the citizens.

This project is aiming at having more people in Swakopmund and Malmö to grow and eat their own food.

This will be done by increasing knowledge and skills about sustainable and water-effective gardening. It will also investigate the possibilities to increase access to land for gardening in community gardens, allotment plots etc. and access to water. Urban gardening can be the basis for small scale businesses selling the surplus on markets, cafés, restaurants and bed & breakfast operators.

This project especially in combination with the local sustainable marine food project, with their aim to educate and engage, link closely to the previous ESD and Eco Tourism projects that Malmö and Swakopmund have been working with. Having sustainable local food production and markets affect the tourism in a positive way which will also improve the local economy; tourists can be offered urban garden walks, buy fresh fruits and vegetables at the urban farmers market and eat fresh locally produced fruits and vegetables at the restaurants.

Projektområde
Urban planning
Svensk partner
Malmö stad
Internationell partner
Municipality of Swakopmund

Revamping Waste Management in Swakopmund through Recycling and Re-use

The objectives of the project are to recycle waste in a structured way, reduce the waste at the landfill and to create jobs for unemployed citizens.

This will be done in two ways:

  • Start recycling of household waste in the residential areas, where the households can separate the recyclable waste themselves. This will decrease the volume of waste dumped on the landfill.
  • Structure the separation of the recyclable waste on the landfill by supporting the local entrepreneurs to hire people permanently; giving those regular working hours, a fair salary and protective clothing.

The municipality will give the entrepreneurs storage space by the landfill which will give them the possibility to store the waste until the price is right. That will give the entrepreneurs a better economy which enables them to hire people. To be allowed to use the storage area, the entrepreneurs will have to fence the area which will decrease the problem with waste from the landfill spreading out into and polluting the desert.

Projektområde
Environment/Climate change
Svensk partner
Malmö stad
Internationell partner
Municipality of Swakopmund

Awareness III – Local Sustainable Marin Food

The City of Malmö recently adopted the new Global Goals For Sustainable Development and made a commitment to implement them on a local level. This project also has an aim to promote partnerships between “North and South” which is in line with the goal ”Partnerships for the goals” (no. 17).

This project specifically focuses on goal no 14 ”Life Below Water” where the objective is to conserve and sustainably use the oceans and marine resources for sustainable development and also act upon goal number 1 ”No Poverty”.

In Swakopmund, there is limited availability of locally caught fish, seafood and algae, although there is good access in the sea and many people find it difficult to get hold of cheap and nutritious food. There is also little knowledge about the sea and marine life and great need for environmental education. At the moment it’s not allowed for individuals to sell their own catch. The municipality lacks regulatory documents in this matter and knowledge how to address these issues for citizens adequately.

This project is linked with the Steering Group, previously approved (ref no 2015-0045) and should be seen as a part of the cooperation with Urban Gardening (already granted) and Renewable Energy (applied).

Projektområde
Environment/Climate change
Svensk partner
Malmö stad
Internationell partner
Municipality of Swakopmund

Town Planning and Environment in Mariental

The project ”Town planning and environment in Mariental municipality” has knowledge transfer and exchange within the subject of town planning as an objective. The main ideas are first to support Mariental in their role as manager and procurer of plan work from consultants and secondly to offer a forum for knowledge exchange on the topics of urban planning and environment in general.

The project is expected to consist of meetings and communication but also the municipalities acting as “speaking-partners” for each other within the subjects at hand. The project is considered to contribute to an increased local democracy and through that poverty reduction and better living condition through aspects in the project like participation in decision making in the processes around city planning.

Results from the project are:

  • Mariental has a better and wider knowledge on town planning;
  • Mariental feel more secure as a procurer on town planning issues;
  • the town plan takes into account several problem areas considered during the project like flooding, settlements, environment etc.;
  • the plan are known to the public in Mariental.
Projektområde
Urban planning
Svensk partner
Staffanstorps kommun
Internationell partner
Mariental Municipality

Participation and voice implementation

Through the feasibility study ”Participation and voice” we have been able to identify the problem and basis for a collaborative project between the municipalities regarding democracy issues for young people. The feasibility study’s results show many similar challenges, but with different strengths of the partners.

A clear deficiency and thereby focus of the project is the municipality’s approach of creating or use the arenas for young people when dealing with regards to youth participation in society.

Subdivisions of the project have been slightly adjusted based on results and involves:

  • Participation in society. How the municipality works to get young people in work, encouraging entrepreneurship, jobs and active leisure?
  • Arenas for participation. To learn from each other arenas for dialogue and participation. In Falun there are library and youth lock where work and assignments are missing or looks different in Tsumeb. In Tsumeb are APC for spontaneous music and cultural activities and TRC (teachers Resources Centre) where experience and groundwork The project Education for Democracy can be used to more audiences.

Dialogue between policymakers and young people. The great study ”loupe” is done in many places in Sweden and working is interesting to look upon. While other forms of dialogue between policymakers and young people are key areas to work with. Young people need to feel that they can influence their future and forums to make themselves heard.

Projektområde
Social care and wellbeing
Svensk partner
Falu kommun
Internationell partner
Tsumeb municipality

Good Governance and Municipal Management Development

Democracy and democratic methods are words often used without reflected upon. What does it stand for? It´s natural that the biggest party also hold the political power, but how do they use it and how is the power divided between politicians and municipal employees. In a functioning democracy is it very important that both politicians and employees are aware of and respect each other’s roles. These questions are always current both in countries like Sweden and in new democracies like Namibia.

The aim of the project is to create a strategy for the democratic work. To define the roles and thereby create an open society where both politicians and employees can feel safe in their roles and where the public easily can find their way to the correct person.

Expected results:

  • A clear division between roles in the respective organisation and in the long run a more effective organisation.
  • An organisation that is clear to the citizens and makes it easy to know who to contact on what issues.
  • A plan of action that will be possible to follow up on and consists of quantifiable data.
Projektområde
Inclusive leadership and governance
Svensk partner
Falu kommun
Internationell partner
Tsumeb municipality