19 Apr 2018

Kavango Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) has availed assistance for Nhabe Museum in Maun to berevitalised.

The assistance comes in the form of financial aid to the tune of P500 000.

KAZA is potentially the world’s largest conservation area situated where five southern African countries’ borders converge and is centred around the Caprivi-Chobe-Victoria Falls area..

Such countries are Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe

The goal of the KAZA TFCA is to sustainably manage the Kavango Zambezi ecosystem, its heritage and cultural resources based on best conservation and tourism models for the socio-economic wellbeing of the communities and other stakeholders in and around the eco-region through harmonising of policies, strategies and practices.

Museum director, Salani Ngambule confirmed in an interview that the musium received the financial aid, which would be channeled towards the construction of small stalls to be rented out to young people to display their crafts and art works.

The construction project is expected to start this month and end March next year and there is hope that it would create visibility for the museum. Ngambule believed that the stalls would attract attention since lack of space had been a challenge to many small businesses, adding that the museum would now have a craft market.

In addition, he said it would be ideal for tourists who would be visiting the area to buy from one a stop centre.

Currently, he said they were liaising with tour operators to bring their visitors to the museum before traversing to the famous Okavango Delta.

Since the museum was running short of artefacts, the director believed that the craft shop would add value to their collection as there was nothing much displayed at the museum.

The local museum was reported to be experiencing a serious shortage of artefacts, which shortage affects some of their annual activities such as exhibitions.

The director said shortage of artifacts could not sustain some of the planned exhibitions such as The Cultures of the Okavango, Family Treasure and Maun Master Pieces, which were held annually and appealed to the Ngamiland community to donate cultural and traditional artefacts.

He said it was unfortunate for the museum to be in short of artefacts whereas the district has a rich diverse culture as compared to other districts.

In addition, he said the district was rich in cultural and natural heritage sites, which could be protected and be used as tourist attraction places.

Ngambule further explained that the museum was there to preserve culture and traditions, and urged Ngamiland people to make use of the facility by bringing their cultural artifacts so that future generations could learn about culture. ENDS