DRFN - San Training Centre

San Mobile Training Centre under the DRFN

The Desert Research Foundation under funding from the Small Grants Program supported 5 San youths to attend a 6 month training course in South Africa in 2023/2024. The 5 youth were chosen from 3 communities, Drimiopsis, Donkerbos and Grashoek based on their leadership skills and involvement in community development projects. After their return from South Africa the youths were unemployed therefore with funding from the Canadian Local Initiative program the Mobile San training project was started. Due to limited funding the project is currently only working with Omaheke communities. Building on the skills obtained in South Africa 4 female facilitators will be provided with continuous trainings in various capacities for them to be able to facilitate workshops. The project targets female San women and girls in remote areas of Omaheke with focus on but not limited to basic livelihood support, civic & human rights education and training in areas such as: Water and Sanitation; Health and Nutrition; Childcare; Gardening; Cooking; First Aid; the importance of education, skills training, and learning. Training of the 4 facilitators commenced in October 2024 with skills training workshops provided by;
1. The German Coorperation (GIZ) under the Farming for Resilience (F4R) project provided training on “Complementary feeding to Support Parents and Caregivers to assist Children Achieve Optimal Growth, Sustained Health and Future Success.
2. Nutrition and Food Security Alliance of Namibia (NAFSAN) - a 3-day workshop on Nutrition for Health.
3. Women in Leadership Centre (WLC), also a 3 day workshop under the theme “The San Women’s Empowerment Programme on Sexual and Reproductive Rights.
The team has started facilitating workshops in communities since 2024;
• A 4-day workshop with 37 female SAN heads of households at farm Donkerbos/Sonneblom The trainers shared on their 6 months experience at !Khwa ttu in South Africa and encouraged fellow young San women to engage in educational opportunities to improve themselves and therefore increase their chances for employment, income and better their living conditions. Training on Nutrition for Health and discussions around “Who is a San woman and her rights in a relationship.
• A 4-day workshop with 80 women and girls at farm Skoonheid, on Nutrition for Health the trainers and information on San women rights.
• A 1-day meeting was held with SAN female heads of households at farm Drimiopsis with 30 San women. A session on Nutrition and Malnutrition. A full workshop is planned for April 2025.
• A 2-day workshop to 38 SAN women on San Women Sexual and Reproductive Rights on farm Hippo as per Hippo community request.
• Another one-day skills training workshop was held at Farm Epikiro Pos 3 to 27 San women.
• Chaka training took place at the Ben Hur Rural Development Centre which was attended by 60 women. Ms Appolia Dabe a paralegal in training from the Legal Assistance Centre was invited as guest speaker.
The DRFN will continue to engage with various partners on skills development opportunities for the trainers. We aim to work with all San communities in Namibia, include men and young boys at some stage and if we fail to find additional funds, we would like the 4 young women to be equipped enough to find further employment with the skills acquired through this project.