|
Namibia is a desert country between Angola and South Africa. Until 1990, it was a colony of South Africa, making it the last colony in Africa. As part of South Africa, it also suffered under apartheid. There are 2 million people living there, of about seven different tribes and races, in a space twice the size of California. It's the second least densely populated country in the world, behind Mongolia. It relies on mining, fishing, and tourism. While the government is making strides toward democracy and transparency, the HIV rate is 22%, and the gap between rich and poor is the worst in the world.
It will help you to know a few facts. I moved to Namibia in Novemeber 2003 for two months of training. I moved to my permanent site, Tsumeb, in January 2004 for two years as an education volunteer. I worked at an education center in the township ("location"), while I lived in "town" (formerly the white neighborhood). In Tsumeb, there are about 1,000 white people who own most of the businesses. There are about 15,000 black people who are workers or government officials. The town was built on the wealth of an old copper mine, which gives it the feel of an old American mining town. |
|
