Indigenous community in Namibia works with Lutheran church to advocate for land rights
Pathways to Equality youth gain skills in advocacy for land rights and establish the groundwork for long-term economic resilience. (Photo courtesy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia)
In Namibia, the San people have often been regarded as primitive hunters and gatherers whose lifestyle hinders development. Now, through an initiative with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) and community representatives, a group of San people in the Mangetti Dune village have embarked on a project to empower young people.
Pathways to Equality: Bushmen Youth, Livelihoods, and Economic Justice will help equip young people to address the historic inequalities the San people, also known as Bushmen, have faced.
In April, the church conducted training sessions on entrepreneurship and life skills involving five youth groups. Each group received 10,000 Namibian dollars (around EUR 500) to engage in handcrafts, small livestock rearing, and horticulture.
