OSI Newsletter_SADC

Our teams recently finalised the four-part documentary “Bridging Waters” about transboundary water-cooperation within the region. We aim to broadcast them in public broadcasters in the region but uploaded them also to the WaterChannel.tv. Please have a look at: “Water for Peace” (general introduction to transboundary water-cooperation within the SADC region, “Water for Economical Development” (focus on Orange-Senqu basin between Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa), “Water for Poverty Reduction” (focus on Limpopo basin with Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe) and “Water and Climate Change” (focus on the Zambezi basin with Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe). Additionally you can find an overview about the donor-activities online at the SADC Water Sector ICP Collaboration Portal, that I compiled to support cooperation between international donors and the SADC institutions. And last but not least I would like to share the slide-show about our work and impact on flickr.

Afterwards Susi and me got lost in the delta on a Mokoro-trip, which is a canoe made to get through the delta with its reed and water mixture. For two days we were catch into the beauty of this pristine nature where silence was only interrupted by birds, elephants and spiders – that entered our boat frequently for a ride. And as we went on two nature-walks we experienced how big and magnificient elephant-herds can be if you stand only 20m away from them, which is an astonishing and reverential feeling after all. And too top this feeling the Okavango delta awarded us with a stunning sunset in the end of the day. Find here the video-file from Susi live from the Okavango.

After several hours driving through full-fledged desert – where we are believed to approach the end of the world – finally Swakopmund appeared between Namib-desert and ocean. This curious city combines German culture and lifestyle in the middle of Africa with sand-dunes, beaches, great food and amazing sealife – a funny mixture, that feels almost home at the Baltic Sea. And as we did some boat-cruise at the ocean finally I saw them again: dolphins jumping next to the boat and racing up and down like crazy. After more than three years looking out for them in Africa and Asia I almost wanted to give up and there they were – elegant, amazing swimmers with mega-fun to watch. With all these impressions we managed the 12 hours drive back to Gaborone easily and look forward for all these trips still to come to explore this diverse continent, where one country looks different than the other.

Thanks for South Africa for this great event and hope you keep on the great spirit and team-work as rainbow nation! And thanks for the German team for their passion and great play with fresh attitude, it was fun to watch, cheer and see you winning. We´ll be there for sure, when Germany wins the Cup 2014 in Brazil!

In addition I also managed to fully arrive in Gaborone – with own house, car and ‘weekend-get-aways’. As you see in the pictures I am not only driving an own car again – after ten years – with the wheel on the steering-wrong side but I also live in a small house in the suburbs of Gaborone. These are quite some changes from the small room in Singapore with its great public transport to this new adventure. But as you know I like challenges and especially if I have to adapt myselfs to new settings – that keeps fresh and was exactly what I was looking for. After these first weeks I feel also well introduced to the life of Gaborone with its braai-parties, cinemas, game drives and even theatre-performances (see article about No 1 Ladies theatre). In the end of this month the adventure is getting even more exiting, as Susi will join me here, and so I am looking forward for more great months to see and experience a piece of Africa together.

Despite the rain and the long distances to drive – the whole weekend around 3.000km – we enjoyed our time a lot and were fascinated by giraffs, anthilops and the magic of nature sounds, while camping during the night. After our return to Gaborone Jona went on to the “Victoria”-falls and later on Zimbabwe and Mozambique.