Swakopmund Municipality Urban Gardening Project

Discussion in 'Permaculture consultants, businesses, resources' started by grantvdm, Sep 11, 2015.

  1. grantvdm

    grantvdm Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2012
    Messages:
    36
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Metallurgist
    Location:
    Swakopmund, Namibia
    YAY!!!! Our local municipality here in Swakopmund is looking to start an urban gardening project! https://www.icld.se/eng/pdf/Approved_Applications_2015-01.pdf (pages 54. - 60)

    Is there anyone that can give me advice on how to approach this? I am currently employed as a metallurgist in a uranium mine and feel that this might be the break I need to get involved in permaculture on a full time basis! YAY! I have done my PDC in 2013 (Geoff's online course), but do not have much experience in designing, and feel that this an excellent opportunity for me as well as the permaculture movement in Namibia. We are only a handfull of PDC holders in the whole country, but something like this could change that picture around totally, as other municipalities in the country look up to the Swakopmund municipality.

    To add some perspective; I have contacted the project leader to show my interest in the project. He has replied and is looking for what my current experience (A CV of sorts) and involvement with the Permaculture Research Institution is. I have not replied yet but have a draft reply ready that goes something like this:

    "Hi Clive,
    Just to put you in perspective of my current situation:

    I am a chemical engineer by profession and am currently working at Rossing Uranium as a metallurgist. I am fairly young in permaculture as I have only done my Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) in 2013 through the Permaculture Research Institute, that basically qualifies me as a permaculture designer. My design experience currently is limited to a design on a 10Ha plot outside Swakopmund that I have handed into the Permaculture Research Institute at the end of my course (I passed the course on that basis), as well as a design that I am currently implementing on a urban garden in Swakopmund, 39 Otavi Street, but with limited funding as it is a place that I am currently renting only up to end of this month.

    The urban gardening project has so many links and I feel a Permaculture element in the designing of these projects would be a great benefit to the project. Through doing designs and implementing them I can then gain more experience in this field as well, and my ultimate aim at the end of the day is to go full time into Permaculture designing and teaching. I am currently applying to attend a Permaculture Facilitators Course in South Africa on the 26 - 31 October 2015, that will strengthen my skills in facilitating permaculture training sessions, that could also be an added advantage to this project, and will connect me with a larger permaculture group in South Africa (Hope Farms), that have experience in urban and schools gardening.

    Having a PDC from the Permaculture Research Institute also gives me access to many resources from this body....."

    That's how far I've come.

    They will be having planning meetings soon, and have mentioned that I will be invited as soon as they know when it will happen, and I'd like to be prepared with something (don't know what yet..) just in case I do really get to be at the meetings.

    Any advise or contacts of somebody that can assist me with getting a permaculture element into this project would be highly appreciated! I was even thinking the other day! WOW! It would be great if Geoff himself could come to Namibia!lol! Who knows, maybe one day I will meet this great man!

    Thanks a million!
     
  2. songbird

    songbird Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2013
    Messages:
    1,791
    Likes Received:
    148
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Occupation:
    gardening, reading, etc
    Location:
    near St. Charles, MI, USoA
    Home Page:
    Climate:
    -15C-35C, 10cm rain/mo, clay, full sun, K-G Dfa=x=Dfb
    in projects like this just showing up and being willing to help (and being consistent) goes a long ways. you have to start some where so this is it. :) congrats. :)
     
    1 person likes this.
  3. grantvdm

    grantvdm Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2012
    Messages:
    36
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Metallurgist
    Location:
    Swakopmund, Namibia
    An Update! I have been invited to a presentation on the project!!! So Excited!! Are there any short clips/documents/presentations out there that I could maybe take along as an introduction to permaculture, should the opportunity arise for me to briefly introduce permaculture...?
     
  4. ecotransformer

    ecotransformer New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2016
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Gender:
    Female
    Climate:
    Dry
    Hi clive,

    I am part of the Eloolo Initiative, the group that is busy doing the school garden at the Van Ryhn School in Windhoek and we could maybe exchange our proposals as we have come up with a concept that is easy to follow. I am currently in Swakop until thursday. Am living in Anton Luboskwi street not far from the municipality. I am sure that you know Donovan Wagner he has my contacts...

    Regards
    Ina
     

Share This Page

-->