Pewa’s adventure book emphasises the value of the ocean

The author of ‘Pewa’s Ocean Adventures’, Taati Niilenge, and her team joined the global celebrations to educate the youth on the value of oceans throughout the months of June and July.

World Ocean Day was celebrated globally on 8 June under the theme: ‘Planet Ocean: tides are changing’.

They started the educational sessions by distributing copies of the book to school libraries in the country and abroad.

The book, which features a young girl who went to Walvis Bay on a vacation with her parents, takes the ocean to children who have never visited it before.

It tells the story of Pewa and her family who saw sea animals like flamingos at the Walvis Bay lagoon, seals and dolphins on cruises, among others, while it provides educative facts on sea creatures.

The book was launched on World Ocean Day last year at Walvis Bay and commemorated its anniversary by reaching out to different schools across the country.

Niilenge said: “This year the Pewa book team is also having book reading sessions at various locations at Walvis Bay, and competitions where children stand a chance of visiting places mentioned in the book, including dolphin cruises, hotels, quad biking and Segway tours, among others.”

Copies of the book have already been donated to schools in northern Namibia, while others were sent to other regions, as well as Angola.
A Spanish translation of the book will also soon be sent to Spain, said Niillenge.

“The purpose is to showcase the Namibian ocean, its beautiful animals and the tourism potential,” she said.

Many children in Namibia, especially in rural areas have heard about the ocean, but have never seen a boat, dolphin or flamingo before, she said.

The book will enable them to experience the beauty of the ocean for themselves, Niilenge added.

Niilenge said translations of the book into indigenous languages will also be considered to cater for people who do not understand or speak English. The book has, however, been translated into Oshiwambo already.

Hedwig Kanghuti, whose sketches are used as illustrations in the book highlighted the importance of her peers knowing about the ocean.

“Children have to learn how to care for the ocean, because the ocean gives us life. We get our fish, which gives us proteins, from there.

“It makes tourists to visit our country and many locals to visit our beautiful ocean. We must appreciate the ocean,” she said.

Rosalia Kaupitwa, who attended the book reading session, said: “I know it would be terrible if we continue polluting the ocean, because it can be harmful to the marine animals. It could also affect fish catches and we can go hungry.”

Aliyah Nghiitwikwa said she enjoyed reading the book. “I read a part how a seal came on the boat where Pewa was, and she was given an opportunity to feed the seal. I want to win a ticket to one of her adventures to experience it too.”

Niilenge urged corporate entities to support the further distribution of the book to reach more schools.

The World Ocean Day education campaign was supported by corporates including Erongo Marine Enterprises, Walvis Bay Tours, Dune’s Mall, Flamingo Villa Hotel, Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre, Lady Victoria Boat Tours, Daredevil Adventures and Eco Gliding Tours.