Namibia

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CRS in Namibia

Namibia is ranked 127 out of 187 countries on the Human Development Index. Almost a third of the population lives on less than $1.25 a day.  Namibia struggles with the HIV/AIDS pandemic. More than 13% of the adult population has the disease.   

Stats

People served: 1,352

Population: 2,484,780

Size: 824,292 sq km; slightly more than half the size of Alaska

CRS' History in Namibia

Namibia has been one of the outreach countries supported by CRS South Africa. The main partner in Namibia is the Namibian Catholic Bishops' Conference (NCBC). NCBC was established in 1996. 

CRS’ primary focus has been responding to the HIV and AIDS pandemic, while supporting justice and peacebuilding initiatives.

In 2013, Namibia experienced a widespread drought (said to be the worst drought in 30 years) that severely impacted food security and livelihoods of rural communities in 13 regions. CRS provided funding and programmatic support to Caritas Namibia, under the NCBC, with start-up activities, as well as fundraising. A total of 15,500 households received supplementary food packages, providing basic food items such as cooking oil, dry beans, sugar and rice.

Our peacebuilding work with the NCBC helps communities in Namibia address many of the deep seated psychosocial effects and unresolved issues from as far back as the genocide and the War of Independence that have been passed down through generations. The project seeks to allow people to take one step in the process of reconciliation within families, communities and the nation as a whole.

Workshops are conducted throughout Namibia. Through these workshops, the communities that have experienced trauma in their past are assisted. The workshops are not exclusively for victims of the war, but for anyone in need of spiritual and emotional healing.