Living Permaculture
Permaculture is about creating real independence, starting at home. Permaculture design assists us to use inputs like energy, water, sun more efficiently and improve our environments, leading to better health all around. And it can help us save money! We have facilitated a Permaculture Course designed specifically for shack dwellers from Windhoek, Gobabis, Dordabis and Lusaka (Zambia). The project will continue working with our design champions, communicate the solutions we developed together, facilitate outreach activities through the Shack Dwellers Federation and Namibia Housing Action Group and seed funding for entrepreneurs.
Farm Okukuna
Farm Okukuna in Gorengab Extension 3 is partner and implementing site of the Living Permaculture project. The farm is a project of the City of Windhoek and the World Future Council. Community members run a market garden and compost businesses. Farm Okukuna is also a training centre around nutrition, growing food, and innovation for shack dwellers. Currently, prototypes of solutions such as grey water filters, solar oven, shack insulation and dry toilet systems are being tried and tested at Farm Okukuna. Follow us on www.facebook.com/GrowingFoodinWindhoek/
NIFTI
Together with Nina Maritz Architects and supported by GIZ, we started the NIFTI initiative – Namibian Innovation for the Informal. The intention is to spur innovative thinking and design and to develop prototypes of solutions for everyday living, aimed at general problems found in informal settlement life – water supply, food security, sanitation, heat and cold in dwellings, etc. The process is participatory, involving community members in all stages – from identifying the main problems, through brainstorming and selecting solutions, to designing and making prototypes.
Recent News
Living Permaculture Posters and Handbook Now Available
Are you interested in building a solar oven? Or in making shack insulation from cardboard to keep the house cool? We have produced a set of posters and a handbook especially for shack dwellers featuring various Permaculture inspired solutions and ideas to help improve your home. The material features prototypes of solutions for everyday living, aimed…
The Windhoek Tippy Tap Challenge is Won!
The Windhoek Tippy Tap Challenge is won! The initiative has built 2298 tippy taps in Windhoek’s informal settlements in only three weeks. 2020 taps were the goal. 28 producers who all live in the informal settlements built the hand washing devices in their neighbourhoods. Mainly recycled materials were used. The initiative’s website https://tippytapchallenge.wordpress.com lists all tippy taps,…
Leaders of Change and Innovation graduate in Goreangab
Shack dwellers from Windhoek, Gobabis and Dordabis graduated from a dedicated Permaculture course at Farm Okukuna in Goreangab today. The training is part of the “Living Permaculture” project, an initiative funded by the Southern African Innovation Support Fund (SAIS). The project innovates and designs Permaculture inspired solutions together with shack dwellers. Grey water filters, solar oven,…
“People in my community including my family members used to look down on me before the trainings. I didn’t know what to do with myself, I could not provide anything for my children and I didn’t think positive about my life. However, right now I value myself more as I am able to provide for me and my children. The people in my community recognise and respect me like never before.”
Member of Farm Okukuna voluntary Association
Living Permaculture Project 