Drew Aiken
Living in the world. Humanitarian. Advocate for health, human rights and equality. Documenting experiences and observations.
Field Work in Opuwo Area, Part I
The Secretary of the Otjikaoko Traditional Authority, photo credit Andrew
Opuwo, Namibia. With a population of about 15,000, this is the largest city in the northwestern Kunene region of Namibia. Opuwo is about 700 kilometers north of Windhoek and the drive took about seven hours.
Map showing Opuwo
I . . .
Farm Life in Namibia
-Cow
Farm life in Namibia. We got a little taste of it over the holiday while we were house sitting for my supervisor at LAC. She has a lovely colonial-style home outside of Windhoek and the farm comes complete with cows, chickens, dogs and cats. One cat is a wild African cat. There are other interesting wild creatures running . . .
The Silence of the Namib Desert
This article was written by Drew Aiken with contribution from Heidi Stockhaus. Most of these photos were taken by Andrew and I (see Drewmibia.smugmug.com for more!).
View from the top of Big Daddy
Last weekend, we traveled with some friends, Heidi and Hanna, to Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert. Since it’s a five hour . . .
What Customary Law Means for Women in Namibia
Several people have asked me why I am so focused by customary law systems and the impact on women. The simple answer is because women are frequently oppressed and are not treated equally under these systems which is illegal and harmful. They frequently do not have a say in basic life decisions in traditional communities and they do not have . . .
"Authentic" Namibia
Last week, some colleagues at LAC and I attended Authenticized which was a documentary-style film that looked at the social structure and interdependence created when tourists, filmmakers and photographers travel to the Opuwo area (in North-western Namibia), where the Himba, a subgroup of the Herero live. For various reasons, the Himba . . .
Life in Windhoek
-Andrew walking through the Parliamentary Gardens
I have been asked by several individuals what life is like in Namibia. It’s both very similar and very different from life in the U.S. In Windhoek, most offices open at 8:00 am so I typically wake up around 6:30. Walking to work is certainly an experience. There are virtually no . . .
A Journey to Sandwich Harbour
-Me looking out over Sandwich Harbour
This weekend we traveled by bus to Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, on the Atlantic. Swakopmund is a quaint little German town where many Namibians (especially those in Windhoek) holiday during the peak of the summer heat (December here in the Southern hemisphere). Walvis Bay is incredibly . . .
Cover image credit: http://Drew Aiken
