Tunaomukwathi Angula graduated last month as the top performer on a fourteen month Tour Guides’ Apprentice Programme organised by the Namibian Academy for Tourism and Hospitality (NATH) and shared her experience and views on environmental sustainability with Informanté.

Angula says that regardless of the fact that Namibia is such a beautiful country with amazing scenery, unique landscapes and attractive geographical features that attract millions of tourists, Namibians are not living in a sustainable way. She mentioned several places like Etosha National Park where littering and all kinds of pollution takes place.
According to her, government and various non-government organisations (NGOs) are trying their best, but that individuals are not caring enough for the environment and for the wildlife. “It is our duty to make sure that the way we live does not threaten our environment,” Angula emphasised.
She also points a finger at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET). She believes that apart from the set of policies, rules and regulations, the Ministry should employ people to strictly guard all protected places and tourist attractions. She said this referring to Goanikontes, situated along the B2 road north of Swakopmund. “There is no one to protect the place and members of the public have been making the place messy.”
“When people drive through gravel plains, they not only damage the small plants, like lichens, but the tyre tracks will remain for long and these plants can take more than twenty years to recover,” she underlined. The graduate urges the public to reduce human-induced disturbance, avoid pollution, deforestation, poaching etc. and to conserve and preserve our wildlife. “It is our environment we live in. We must make sure we practice the key principles of environmental sustainability,” she added.
She believes that more environmental education should be encouraged to help educate Namibians on environmental sustainability and to learn more about the ecosystem. As a result of her training Angula secured employment and is now working as a fully-qualified tour guide at Kambaku Wildlife Resort between Otjiwarongo and Otavi.