Save the San supports the continued survival of one of the few remaining integrated hunter-gatherer communities on the planet with links to the land.
Watch this video where David Bruce and Tsamkxao ≠Oma (‘chief Bobo’) explain the importance of education in the Nyae Nyae Conservancy, Namibia. Get an impression of the beauty of this special region, the Ju’/hoansi Bushmen, and the children that need your support for their Village Schools.
The Ju/’hoansi Bushmen call the Nyae Nyae region, N//oaq!a’ - a rocky place without mountains. It lies in the heart of the Western Kalahari, a landscape of extremes and distinct beauty, where wild game roam freely and the Ju/’oan people still live on a portion of their ancestral land. The magic of N//oaq!a’ is not in the beauty of the Kalahari, but the people: in their spirit, their poetry and culture.
The Ju/’hoansi bushmen (San) are extremely vulnerable, marginalised by an exceptionally low level of education. Only 1% complete high school and none attend university.
The only way to maintain their ancient heritage and for their culture to survive is through education which merges the old and the new and strengthens the connection between school, community and culture.
Save the San aims to build five Village Schools (grade 1-4) in the Nyae Nyae Conservancy, Namibia, providing mother tongue education and traditional cultural knowledge as well as the skills required to be successful in today’s environment.
The project has taken off in 2020, and despite the challenges and restrictions of COVID-19 regulations, and an exceptionally heavy rainy season, the construction of the first Village School in Den/ui is expected be completed in March 2021.