19 May 2022

 Plans are underway to construct a cultural village at Khwai, in the Okavango Delta, where communities can share their culture and lifestyle.
One of the co-founder of Naletsana Foundation, Ms Sandra Rubins said recently in interview that a one stop center would be ideal for residents to display all aspects of their culture and crafts.
Most residents particularly women, she said made unique baskets and necklaces from woven beads and seeds which they sold by the roadsides to tourists entering and leaving Moremi Game Reserve.
Ms Rubins said she intended to request a plot from the Village Development Committee (VDC) to make her dream a reality, adding that her dream was to empower the community and see their livelihoods improved.
A cultural village, she said could be one of the key tourist attractions and development initiative in any given community. Such facilities, she said helped market arts and crafts.
Ms Rubins who also works for Khwai Private Safari Company noted that once the cultural village was operational, it would be easy for safari companies doing business in the village to bring their clients to appreciate what the village offered.
Some tourists, she said came to a cultural village for the sole reason of experiencing total village life while some want to return home with souvenirs.
The cultural village, she said would also help market performing arts adding that tourists required entertainment during their visit at the village. Ms Rubins said they were also planning to start a vegetable garden at the said plot once availed. The garden, she said would be run by the community to generate income for themselves.
She pointed out that she approached some of her international friends who had showed interest to help.
Ms Rubins is optimistic that the envisaged projects would greatly benefit the community and provide them with motivation to produce more crafts as market would be availed.ENDS