An inspiring trustee of the Gondwana Care Trust

Sonia Noirfalise-Corsini’s journey in Namibia began in 1996, when she and her husband drove overland from Belgium to Cape Town.

Years earlier, while employed as tour guides in the United States, they had heard about this magical desert country with its sparse population, which had always held an irresistible allure for them.

Sonia started her employment with Gondwana Collection Namibia in April 1998, where her job descriptions — of which she unofficially had many — involved working alongside Namibians to create a strong and independent team.

The Seeds of Gondwana Care Trust

Sonia’s involvement with Gondwana Care Trust began subconsciously from day one, as she explored ways to establish souvenir shops at the lodges, aiming to stock them with as many Namibian projects and products as possible.

This proved challenging while based at the Fish River Canyon, until a unique opportunity arose. A safari pilot introduced her to African rag dolls made by a group of women in a Windhoek township, who called their project ‘Matukondjo Dolls’. The dolls were proudly displayed at the reception and were quickly purchased by guests from various countries, validating the concept for the shop.

The project continues to thrive today.

Strengthening Community Ties

Upon relocating to the head office in Windhoek, Sonia was closer to many projects.

True to Gondwana’s values, the team assisted numerous initiatives with product development, skills transfer in production and quality control, while also providing mentorship on business management and bookkeeping. This grassroots approach fostered close bonds, and Sonia fondly recalls spending hours working alongside mothers and girls in their corrugated iron homes, empowering them to become independent producers while managing their household chores.

Babies were carried on their backs as chickens and dogs roamed around them; however, the stark reality of economic inequality and the challenges faced by these women did not escape her notice. On the contrary, it motivated her to expand product ranges so that more Gondwana lodges throughout Namibia could also sell their crafts.

The women were hardworking and consistently delivered quality products.

Creating Sustainable Solutions

Many of them established small kindergartens and soup kitchens within their communities.

This enabled Gondwana to extend support and connect with international tourists while teaching young children essential hygiene practices, early childhood education and providing love and care from an early age.

The combination of producing Namibian souvenirs for income while raising their children created a win-win situation. Once Sonia had children of her own, she felt blessed to share prosperity with these communities on equal terms.

As Gondwana expanded its footprint across Namibia, so too did the contingent of primarily female producers and their families prosper alongside it.

Community Support Initiatives

The ‘Gondwana Memes’ comprised colleagues who assisted various projects near the lodges and around Windhoek by donating food items, books, toys, as well as second-hand fridges and washing machines from their own finances.

However, the need far exceeded what they could provide. Once the Gondwana Care Trust was formalised, they were able to impact real change in people’s circumstances and assist them in improving their lives.

Challenges in Funding

Proper and continuous funding remains a challenge; it is essential not to turn away anyone requesting assistance.

Once projects are accepted as beneficiaries, regular feedback is required to keep the trustees informed, but this does not always occur, resulting in the termination of support. Each project also needs a champion with the vision and energy to realise its goals.

It is disheartening that when these leaders move on, the project often collapses, leaving the community unable to sustain or further develop it. Therefore, support is not given to individuals; instead, efforts are made to understand the dynamics between project members and the communities they serve.

Long-Term Impact Through Broader Approaches

The broader the approach in a project’s mission and vision, the greater its chances of survival and long-term impact.

Early childhood development is one of the Gondwana Care Trust’s key pillars because they believe that children who receive proper care at a young age build strong foundations for their lives. However, the pandemic has highlighted that families need economic stability to feed themselves before they can grow into strong citizens.

Consequently, the MealForTwo Project has expanded significantly and consumes a substantial portion of the projects’ available budget as it provides basic support for survival. This dependency will persist until more employment opportunities and incentives that empower Namibians are created. Additionally, there has been an increased focus on establishing vegetable gardens across the nation.

The Power of Kindness

“The world could do with more kindness,” Sonia believes.

It has always been evident that making others successful brings personal fulfilment; the universe nurtures the connections formed between people. There is much one can do to share opportunities, wealth and growth. Simple acts such as repurposing interior items like chairs, tables and curtains from lodges to school hostels create nurturing environments for pupils and teachers alike — encouraging them towards their best capabilities and higher achievements.

Starting small within one’s immediate community can lead to a significant impact; sharing knowledge, love, or whatever one can offer will be met with warm smiles and respect.

Future Aspirations for Capacity Building

Sonia envisions that the Gondwana Care Trust will evolve towards enhancing capacity building for beneficiaries through practical workshops covering topics such as financial literacy, accounting, teaching methods for educators, basic parenting skills, community garden establishment, preservation of traditional crafts and arts and modernising these traditions into sellable souvenirs.

She also hopes the Gondwana Care Trust will continue serving as a conduit for donations and international funding while connecting non-profit organisations with small projects or schools so they can empower one another through collaborative efforts. This way, Namibia remains united and proud, while looking forward to a brighter future for its children.