KOVAHIMBA

Kovahimba Association, which means “With the Himbas”, was created on 26^th of June 2006 right after the shooting of the documentary “Rendez-vous en terre inconnue” (French TV programme) for which the French comedian Muriel Robin went to Namibia to meet the Himbas.

Kovahimba aims to accompany the minorities of North-West Namibia (Hakaonas, Tjimbas, Twas, Zembas) in their knowledge of the outside world so that they may gradually take charge of themselves.

Kovahimba’s projects only make sense if they come as an answer to their demand.

Kovahimba’s main goals:

• to maintain conditions allowing nomadic husbandry.
• to create an organisation that gives the Himbas and the Herero minorities abilities to control tourist flows, to care about tourists, and to set up activities from which they could legitimately gain some benefits.
• to allow them to be respected in their own country and get a legal recognition from the Namibian government.
• to collect information of their different cultures (legends, tales, songs, traditions ...) in order to share all of them with future generations .
• to develop new projects, in accordance with communities’ demands, in order to emphasise their creativity and heritage.

 

- President: Jean-Marie THIEDEY. A former director of association, he is now responsible for education in the association “Handy et Manchu”. He graduated from the University of Paris-Sorbonne in adult-training and support of project. He is also the associate-editor for the development of the project.

- Treasurer: Arnaud MALLAT-DESMORTIERS, manager.

- Secretary general: Catherine JEUDY, press officer.

- Association representative: Solenn BARDET, geographer, writer. She met the Himbas for the very first time in 1993 when she was 18. In 2007, the Himba leaders appointed her as their representative.