The Muduva Nyangana Conservancy in the Kavango East Region has constructed a clinic to meet the government halfway.

Valued at N$450,000, the clinic consists of a waiting area, consultation room, toilet, bathroom, testing room and a pharmacy.

However, there is no water, electricity or staff.

The Manager of Muduva Nyangana Conservancy, Max Muyemburuko revealed this during an oversight visit by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources.

“The nearest clinic here is Mbambi, which is plus or minus 15 kilometres from here, and I think you have heard what happened in Muduva Nyangana, where we have lost four people due to food poisoning. So the infrastructure is here; the community has done an incredible job,” he noted.

Muduva Nyangana Conservancy, located on the northern border of the Khaudum National Park and including eight surrounding villages, has been in existence for the past 20 years.

The conservancy generates about N$700,000 per year from conservation hunting, campsites, devil's claw harvests and donations from Good Samaritans.

 Members have also made strides in other areas in their mission to improve their lives.

Projects include a school and funeral assistance programme and a weeding project, while funds are distributed to the Ngciriku Traditional Authority for their day-to-day operations.

In addition, 40 students have benefitted from the tertiary education support programme since 2022, while 10 students have received support to complete vocational training.

The conservancy also came up with a scheme to compensate farmers with crop fields damaged by wild animals.

Muyemburoko said challenges faced by the communities include, among others, poaching, illegal hunting and wildfires.

Members of the Conservancy also pleaded with the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee, Tobie Aupindi, to be included in decision-making processes regarding the operation of conservancies in the region.

Dr Aupindi promised them that their voices are heard and taken into consideration.