EDITORIAL: A vision for Namibia’s model villages

With Vision 2030 all but dead in the water, Namibia must shift focus to rural development – not just to bridge the gap between urban and rural areas but to manage the unsustainable migration that strains our cities.

For too long, progress has been concentrated in urban areas, leaving villages in a state of neglect. It is time to redefine rural communities as places of opportunity, not just survival.

A model Namibian village must be built on six fundamental pillars: piped water, a nearby public health facility, accessible education, mobile network coverage, electricity and participation in an active economic concession. These are not luxuries – they are essential for a dignified life.

Thirty-five years after independence, too many villages still rely on unsafe wells for water, the foundation of public health and agriculture. No child should walk extreme distances to school, and no woman should have to travel vast stretches for maternal care. A health facility within five km and a school within seven km must become the norm. Connectivity is no longer optional; mobile networks link rural communities to information, business and emergency services. Without electricity, progress remains stunted. With Namibia’s vast renewable energy resources, no village should remain in darkness.

Beyond infrastructure, rural communities need economic lifelines. Agriculture, sustainable tourism, manufacturing and renewable energy projects must drive local economies, creating jobs and self-sufficiency. A model village should not merely exist – it should thrive.

The future of Namibia does not rest solely in expanding cities. It lies in empowering villages so that people do not have to leave home in search of opportunities in far-flung places. The time for action is now. The Namibia of tomorrow will be built in the villages of today.