With all the research we’ve done on the incredible places,
animals, and history in Namibia, I was
curious—what does daily life look like for an ordinary Namibian? Here’s what I
found.
Namibian children tend to go to elementary school, though
sometimes they stay at home to help with housework. However, though Namibians
prize education, most children do not continue to middle or high school do to
costs. As in America, the children of the wealthy are able to attend elite
private school.
Children are often cared for by members of their extended
families, who typically live together under one roof. They share a bed with
their mother or their siblings.
By the time they grow up, Namibians who live in rural
locations spend much of their days on farm work (about 50% of the population.) Household
responsibilities are generally divided along stereotypical gender lines. Men
tend to livestock while women do the same for crops. Cattle ranching is one of
the country’s key endeavors; Namibians like to eat meat every day when
possible.
Of the roughly half of Namibians who participate in the
formal market economy, about 18% spend their days providing for visiting
tourists. Another 22% spend their days working in the mining industry, while a
sizeable portion of the workers remaining are employed processing raw
agricultural products. Some Namibians also work in the professions, but these
jobs, as in America, are harder to come by.
By Mini
Sources:
What percentage of Namibians are college educated? Does the country experience significant brain drain of its college graduates?
ReplyDeleteI wonder how life in the city varies from life in rural areas, as you describe here. Is the majority of the population rural? Or is it the majority of the indigenous population versus the German-Namibians who live in the cities? - Elizabeth
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