By: Annakleta Haikera
The Mutjimagumwe Woodwork Cooperative has generated more than N$144,000 through carpentry, bringing income and job opportunities to the Mpungu community in Kavango West.
Speaking at the official launch on Friday, Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Indileni Daniel, praised the cooperative as a shining example of how sustainable forest management can improve livelihoods.
According to Daniel, the cooperative currently employs 18 artisans, each supporting their families while contributing to the local economy.
She further highlighted that it was established through the Namibia Integrated Landscape Approach for Enhancing Livelihoods and Environmental Governance (NILALEG) Project, which invested N$6 million in modern infrastructure, machinery, and training for artisans.
“In addition to carpentry, 215 goats have been distributed to households to diversify income sources and strengthen community resilience,” Daniel added.
“More than 300 people, including women, have also been trained in sustainable Devil’s Claw harvesting, generating over N$318,000 in income between 2022 and 2025,” Daniel revealed.
The minister noted that the NILALEG Project has had a wide impact across Namibia, creating over 2,600 jobs, including 600 for young people, and benefitting nearly 62,000 people, almost half of them women.
“It has also restored 17,000 hectares of degraded land and boosted household incomes by 50 percent through green enterprises,” she said.
In Mpungu Constituency alone, bush thinning on 900 hectares has created jobs and provided fodder for livestock.
Grasslands on 35 hectares have been restored, while three boreholes and two earth dams have been rehabilitated, improving water access for 278 people, 48 households, and more than 700 livestock.
Daniel emphasised that these efforts are about more than just job creation, stressing the importance of conserving the 198,000-hectare Nkulivere Landscape, one of Namibia’s largest remaining forested areas.
Plans are underway to establish a Regional Forest Reserve to protect biodiversity, improve climate resilience, and ensure sustainable timber harvesting.
“With the right vision, investment, and partnerships, rural communities can become hubs of innovation, prosperity, and pride,” Daniel remarked.
Meanwhile, Kavango West governor, Verna Sinimbo, said the cooperative represents a significant step forward for the region.
“This celebration is more than just opening a carpentry workshop. It shows what is possible when vision meets determination,” said Sinimbo.
She highlighted that woodcarving and carpentry are deeply rooted in local culture and now form a vital part of the region’s future.
“The Mutjimagumwe Cooperative is about jobs, innovation, and pride for our youth and families. It’s about transforming the richness of our forests into sustainable opportunities that uplift our communities,” she added.
Looking ahead, Sinimbo pointed to the Nkurenkuru Vocational Training Centre, set to open in 2026, as another notable avenue of empowering young people with skills for the future.
“The Mutjimagumwe Cooperative stands as a shining example of the Kavango West. We are building a region where resources serve the people, where our youth can thrive, and where every community has reason to celebrate,” she noted.
“Together, we are moving from forests to futures,” she concluded.
The Mutjimagumwe Woodwork Cooperative was established in 2019 as a community-driven initiative aimed at addressing deforestation, unemployment, and poverty in the Mpungu constituency.
At the time of its inception, local artisans relied on traditional woodworking methods, which limited production and income.
Since November last year, the cooperative has been producing high-quality wooden products such as chairs, doors, tables, cupboards, beds, and coffins.
In addition, approximately 4,000 broken chairs and tables for schools are being repaired across the region through this cooperative; a project funded by the Kavango West Regional Council.
