Wolwedans describes consciousness as “the state of being aware of and responsive to one’s surroundings – as an organisation and as individuals, including guests. This applies to what one does and why, and how one lives and engages. It is not such a straightforward concept and is, therefore, possibly the most interesting ‘C’ in the Wolwedans mix.”

Under Wolwedans Vision 2030 – The AridEden Project — a sustainability framework that encapsulates Wolwedans’ future across the 5Cs of Conservation, Community, Culture, Commerce and Consciousness, Wolwedans recently launched RuralRevive to build a desert based economy. Underpinned by a philosophy of balancing people, planet, and profit, it aims to build resilient and more equitable tourism/ conservation economies.

The ethos of RuralRevive is to provide benefits to local communities in the Namib Desert well beyond Wolwedans, including ‘reviving’ Maltahöhe, a small village in Southern Namibia, through sustainable and inclusive enterprise development. The Project is a model for a diversified local economy in the Namib Desert creating entrepreneurial and employment opportunities linked to the tourism sector. Capacity-building programmes and training ensure that those usually excluded will have the chance to participate in a new desert Based Economy.

The nine areas of engagement for RuralRevive include Enterprise, Horticulture, Education, Resources, Solid Waste, Basic Healthcare, Transport, Logistics, Culture, Heritage, and Media Ecology. 

The first three to five years of the initiative will seek to achieve the following‘RuralRevive’ project activity areas:

• Laundry – The laundry facility includes a 50-kW solar system to provide energy independence and a wastewater recycling facility to enhance sustainable operations within the arid environment.

• Horticulture – Greenhouses and irrigation systems will be established on the project properties as well as on other sites in and around Maltahöhe to produce organic, staple vegetables to supply both the local market and the wider tourism industry.

• The Barn–This will primarily be a distribution hub in Maltahöhe where local farmers and small producers can deliver a variety of fresh produce with a reasonable guarantee that their produce will be absorbed by the Desert Based Economy.

• DesertRunner – A twice weekly scheduled transport solution for the delivery and collection of laundry (clean and dirty linen), fresh produce, waste and, importantly, people provide a reliable and regular service that connects the dots.

• Clean-up & Waste Management – Developing an integrated and collective approach to managing waste as a resource (“Trash-to-Treasure”) will significantly reduce landfill and landscape pollution in Maltahöhe and the Daweb Constituency. The aim is to ensure a cleaner and healthy living environment, which simultaneously creates livelihood opportunities.

EconoMixwill also be on offer. This is a tailor-made, entry-level business management course that includes the basics of financial intelligence (how to manage money and debt), costing, procurement, HR/ admin, negotiation skills, and marketing. EconoMix will serve as the backbone of entrepreneurial empowerment across all RuralRevive business development projects.

RuralRevive addresses three major global challenges.

• Climate Change and CO2 mitigation.
• Wealth inequality (the widening gap between rich and poor).
• Rural decline and youth exodus.

The long-term impact of RuralRevive includes:

• Job creation and enhanced livelihoods.
• Cleaner environment and CO2 mitigation.
• Substantial water saving in the Namib desert.
• Skills transfer and capacity building.
• Regional growth of the economy.
• Bridging wealth inequality.

The model has been designed to be replicated elsewhere in Namibia and even the world. Read more about RuralRevive HERE and watch the recording of the webinar HERE.

About the Global Ecosphere Retreat® standard.

The Long Run’s members join as Fellow Members and embark on a supported, bespoke journey to work towards the Global Ecosphere Retreat® (GER®) standard. This standard is recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and only awarded to organisations that demonstrate a holistic balance of conservation, community, culture, and commerce (the 4Cs).

GER® is considered ‘one of the world’s best standards for privately protected areas’ (Dr Jeff A. Langholz). It is ultimately for those nature-based tourism businesses that are exceptionally motivated to be a force for the greater good and are the best of the best in sustainable tourism.

The GER® standard is unparalleled by any other standard in that it:

• rigorously covers all conservation, community, culture, and commerce aspects of sustainability in tourism with equal weight.
• is not merely about compliance but is a vehicle to support nature-based tourism businesses in their journey of continuous improvement.
• is not only about businesses mitigating their negative environmental impact, but about positively impacting the well-being of the planet and the people.
• is earned rather than granted following a highly rigorous assessment by accomplished experts and professionals.
• requires businesses to own, directly manage, or influence a significant landscape or seascape making GER® specialist and committed to driving meaningful change.
• requires businesses to be commercially profitable or commit to attaining commercial viability, demonstrating that conserving nature is an economic imperative beyond the ethical arguments of posterity.

Once a property achieves GER® status, it is granted for six years with a compulsory mid-term (three year) review to ensure compliance and review where needed. To find out more, please contact The Long Run team.