Corona situation in the Living Museums in Namibia: Call for donations - Every help counts

Like everywhere else in the World the Corona virus has led to a collapse of the tourism industry in Namibia. The safety measures in Namibia began with the halt of international air traffic on March 15 and with the restriction of local travel and school curriculum on March 27 (Namibian Lockdown)

For the six living museums we support this means a total loss of all income since mid-March 2020. Neither international tourists (about 90% of museum visitors) nor local travelers or school classes were able to visit the living museums and the future is uncertain, as it is currently still unclear when international travel will be possible again. Local tours have been allowed again, but the Namibian economy is so weakened that hardly anybody is travelling.

Specifically, in the case of our Living Museums, this means that around 220 museum actors are currently unemployed. The Living Museums are the only employers in the six villages where the Living Museums were developed and the loss of income also means a subsequent collapse of all income for the remaining village communities (an estimated 2000 people). The Namibian governmental aid of N $ 750 for Namibians who have lost their jobs is unfortunately not applicable to communal projects. This means that, so far, no aid deliveries have arrived in the Living Museums.

Call for donations - Every help counts

Unfortunately, most living museums have not been able to build up reserves in recent years. With a few exceptions the actors and project promoters involved still live “from hand to mouth” and are starving at the moment.

We would therefore like to ask you to take part in our campaign on Betterplace. For each living museum we would like to collect € 1000 (at the current exchange rate N$ 20,000) for the most necessary aid deliveries, to alleviate the current existential need on one hand, but on the other hand to also show a future perspective, which means not to endanger the living museums and show that the Living Culture Foundation in Namibia takes care of the needs of people in the living museums also in times of hardship.

With your donation you are contributing to sustain the living museums, which have been very successful so far, and helping us to aid the local people directly. We would like to thank you in advance for this.

This is the link to Betterplace

Call for Donations "Emergency Aid for Living Museums"

Dr. Ralf Kühn