The Urban Sustainability Centre was buzzing with life when it hosted the Westside High School Environmental Club for the first official programmes of the year. Learners from grades 4-7 were excited to try out the new activity stations in the Sustainable Activity House during the half day programmes that were hosted over 2 days. “NaDEET is a very nice place, we enjoyed the company and the staff is phenomenal. I enjoyed the shower the most, now I know I can use a cup to brush my teeth” said a grade 7 learner at the end of her visit.

 In gearing up for the new year, NaDEET Centre staff received their first aid certification in a three day training course. The course ended with simulation of potential incidences that provided the knowledge to assist colleagues and visitors in medical emergencies. It was a refresher to those who had taken the course before and just what the new staff members needed in preparation for working with groups. 

Ousie (Elizabeth Lammert) was awarded with NaDEET’s first long service award on her 10 years anniversary at NaDEET. As a Sustainable Kitchen Educator, Ousie has interacted and inspired many NaDEET participants and visitors through different programmes and we are honored to have her guiding and leading our team at NaDEET as Sustainable Kitchen Educator and Homestead Manager. 

Educators from 8 environmental education centres across Namibia gathered at NaDEET for the final of a series of EduLink workshop for 2018. This workshop focused on sustainability, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and teaching methods. Since the beginning of the year, NaDEET has been part of the EduLink project which aims to network all EE Centres across the country to equip them to conduct teacher training workshops. 

In celebrating the national Arbor Day, NaDEET and the Swakopmund Primary School embarked on planting trees at their school. The indigenous trees planted are the Karee tree (Rhus lancea) and the Raisin bush (Grewia flava). Along with the trees, the school also received tree activity materials that were met with great enthusiasm by the learners. The tree activity materials were created by the Private School Swakopmund learners on their community service day.