Empowering women at Penduka

A truly unique experience awaits you when visiting the Penduka Women’s Project in Katutura, which provides the perfect opportunity to get out of the city and see what the local community is doing to advance itself. Penduka is a non-profit initiative, aimed at encouraging and supporting women throughout Namibia through craftsmanship and tourism. The craft centre, shop, restaurant and accommodation facilities that form part of the project are idyllically situated at Goreangab Dam. At Penduka's well-stocked shop, visitors can choose from a range of locally produced craft items. Products that are sold include needlework, baskets, carvings and fabric creations – all at affordable prices. All the proceeds go to the talented women who make these products. The project also offers the opportunity for visitors to watch the women at work, as they apply their skills during the production phase of their truly unique products. All the money generated by through its touristic activities, such as the restaurant and the accommodation facilities, also goes to the women and helps to improve their quality of life. Any tourist coming to visit Penduka will be able to visit the workshops at the project, which include sewing and embroidery, pottery, batik and glass beading. Throughout the week, visitors can join in a guided visit of the workshops and see how the women produce their crafts and the beautiful cloths sold by the project. In the sewing workshop, fabrics are turned into pillowcases, duvet covers, place mats, tablecloths and bags. It is also the place where big pieces of batik cloth are turned into a finished product - painted and decorated. The fabrics that the women decorate with embroidery are done by three groups from outside Penduka, which the organisation provides training to. The embroidery tells a story using typical imagery of the ethnic groups these women originate from. In the glass beading department, women make use of recycled bottles which is broken into glass, then sorted, grinded into grit, melted and cast into glass beads. The glass beads can be bought individually. The women also use the beads to make bracelets, necklaces and tablecloth weights. The accommodation offered at Penduka includes bungalows and backpacker rooms on the bank of the Goreangab Dam, while the restaurant caters for breakfast, lunch and dinner – served alongside the wonderful view of the Goreangab Dam. Prices for the backpacker rooms range from N$85 to N$120, while prices for a bungalow range from N$170 to N$460. The Penduka project started in 1992, with only four employees, and today more than 50 women are employed on a full-time basis. It supports women to rise above their poverty – especially those that are handicapped, ill or with low education levels. The organisation was started by Martha Muulya and Christien Roos. Muulyau was four-years-old when she was diagnosed with polio. Her back is badly curved, due to scoliosis and therefore she has had to undergo several operations. Martha is handicapped. She found a job at Ehafo, a project that helps handicapped people in Windhoek, where she met Roos. Roos came to Namibia to work for Ehafo, after she finished her studies in the Netherlands. In 1992 the two co-founded the Penduka project to help disadvantaged women improve their standards of living. How to get to Penduka Follow Independence Avenue through Katutura, cross Otjomuise Road and continue into Eveline Street. Turn left into Green Mountain Dam Road and left again at the Penduka sign. Follow the signs to the buildings at Goreangab Dam.