Official newsletter of the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia

April 2015 Volume 1, No. 1

Green Viewpoint

Contents• Feature: 2015 Bursaries ...........1• Editorial ....................................2• Grants & Loans update ............2• In-focus personalities ...............3• Insight on green projects ..........3• Our role in society.....................4• Forthcoming attractions ............4

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N$ 2.6 million worth of bursaries in 2 years

The Fund has disbursed an amount of N$ 1.2 million under its Research, Training and Education line of service; bringing the total investment to N$ 2.6 million in 2 years. The focus this year was on Phd candidates and undergraduates in various areas of environmental sustainability. A total of 11 students made the cut after a grueling assessment of close to 200 applicants.

Among this year’s intake is a young man with a big chip on his shoulders. Hamlet Luboni wants to revolutionise the Architecture profession and design green buidlings.

For Hamlet, architecture and environmental studies are natural companions. “It is impossible to design good buildings without understanding their relationship to natural systems. It is also impossible to understand the natural environment without knowing how human intervention affects it – both positively and negatively”.

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Editorial

The rapidly escalating and sustained complexity of the challenges pertaining to environmental sustainability have generated an increased level of demand for the financial and technical support provided by the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia.

Over the quarter the fund dispensed over N$ 4.6 million in grants and loans to 13 projects.

Dear nature enthusiast, traveler and patron to Namibia’s beautiful environment. You are now reading Green viewpoint, the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia’s first quarterly newsletter.

The publication is aimed at providing an insight into the fund’s project actvities and plans; and thereby hopefully creating prospects for your involvement.

We recently closed off the 2014/15 financial year by celebrating the fund’s 3rd anniversary and hosting a Green Projects Open Day, a showcase that has allowed us to bring to visitors in the Windhoek area a view of 12 selected projects financed over the year. We will continue highlighting new approved projects on a quarterly basis in the Grants and loans update on page 2 and provide a deeper iperspective by featuring a selected green project on page 3.

On the first half of that page we will also be bringing a personality to life ... The new lady interns at the fund will take up the debut space for this edition - allow me to welcome Beancah and Johanna!

Our Calendar at the back is your roadmap to where you can find us during the quarter, so please diarise and stay with the conversations, actions and reactions on our social media handles, Facebook and Twitter!

Wishing you a Green Day

Crawling, teething and running – the EIF at 3!

Grants & Loans updateCatalysts for development and livelihood diversification

Grants and loans update

The Green Soft Loan scheme, administered in collaboration with the SME Bank, provides a subsidized lending facility for households, farmers and individuals to gain credit to acquire energy and water efficiency technology. Over the quarter the fund and bank disbursed over N$ 730,000 in small loans to 14 households.

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Insight on Green ProjectsIn-focus personally

Johan Le Riche (CEO), who deals with organic production of fertilizers, said he understands why there has been an increase in demand of organic food. “We know the quality of most of our vegetables and our fruits increases by decreasing your chemical substance in your crop, our world is crying for organic” said Le Riche.

The Environmental Investment Fund, through its Green Concessional Loans scheme, financed Greenfields Namibia to intensify its operations at Hochfeld, Namibia; where the spectacle is around producing organc fertilizer using chicken manure and ther organic elements. The operation is aimed at producing close to 3,000 tonnes of organic fertilizer, without the use of chemicals that are known to destroy soil fertility.

... I am

Trinelda Beancah Gabusie Graduate intern: Business Management

Trinelda joined the Environmental Investment Fund as a Business Management intern in January 2015 with the aim of learning as much as she can about overcoming the negative impacts of natural resource mismanagement.

“I’m passionate about reading, cooking, gardening and farming. Joining the fund gives me the opportunity to assist Namibians who take the initiative to sustain and develop the Namibian environment.”

Trinelda works closely with the Business Development Officer and Risk analyst in preparing loan applications for assessment.

Johanna KweediGraduate intern: Natural Resource Management

Johanna is a recent Environmental Biology graduate from the University of Namibia.

“Throughout the course of this internship I expect to learn how to work with people from different backgrounds, process grants and loans as well as play my part in the managing of our natural resources”.

Johanna oversees the applications for the fund’s grant portfolio.

Greenfields operations at Hochfeld provide employ-ment to 35 people;

Greenfields NamibiaPutting life back into the soil

Quick facts about Organic Fertilizers

• Organic fertilizers are renewable, biodegradable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly.

• Organic fertilizers break down and release nutrients into the soil, improving the structure of the soil and increasing its ability to hold water and nutrients. Over time, organic fertilizers will make your soil–and plants–healthy and strong.

• Organic fertilizers have no long- term effects on the soil as they are biodegradable. Chemical fertilizers on the other hand can eventually make their way into your fruits and vegetables.

Our role in society

Calendar

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Raising awareness on environmental issues and creating a national dialogue around innovative solutions and interventions to making the environment an enabler and driver of economic growth is also a large part of EIF’s Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy.

forthcoming attractions

G r e e n is NOT something you can buy

GREEN IS A WAY OF LIFETreasure everything

Think permaculturallyLive sustainably, in all ways;

Make it, Grow it, Build it Yourself,DO ALL YOU CAN, WITH WHAT

YOU HAVE

World Wetlands Day sponsorship of prizes to Schools competition in illustrating water-basin management, 24 March 2015

Awarding the best students in the School of Natural Resources at the Polytechnic of Namibia Awards ceremony, 15 April 2015

EIF Namibia Green_Viewpoint

www.eifnamibia.com

info@eifnamibia.com

Environmental Investment FundP.O. Box 28 157, Auas Valley, Windhoek, 2nd Floor Capital Centre, Independence Avenue, WindhoekTel: +264 61 431 7706,

AIESEC Youth to Business Summit 11 April 2015, Safari Hotel, Windhoek

ParkTalk, “For the people, the economy & the environment” 21 April 2015, FNCC, Windhoek

Green Building Council of Namibia 2nd Convention 23 - 24 April 2015, MME, Windhoek

Namibia Tourism Expo 3 - 6 June 2015, Windhoek Showgrounds

Namibia Sustainable Development Awards Date tbc, Nampower Convention Centr, Windhoek

Africa Drought Conference Date tbc, Windhoek Country Club, Windhoek