POSITIVE VIBES IN NAMIBIA
POSITIVE VIBES I NAMIBIA
In Namibia, the rights organization Positive Vibes seeks to influence structural and cultural causes of human rights violations.
In Namibia, the rights organization Positive Vibes seeks to influence structural and cultural causes of human rights violations.
For two decades, Positive Vibes has Positive Vibes has developed its own methods that have proven effective in creating change through networking, organizational development and advocacy.
Positive Vibes originated in Namibia during the AIDS epidemic in the 90s as an activity of the Danish NGO Ibis (later Oxfam) and helped to change the view of infected people and boost their self-confidence.
Since then, Positive Vibes has evolved into a regional rights organization with partners across Africa.
The focus is still on the most stigmatized in society – primarily LGBT people, sex workers and people living with HIV (PLHIV).
Positive Vibes has offices in Windhoek and Ondangwa, Namibia and Cape Town, South Africa, and utilizes a network of facilitators and consultants across most of Africa.
In Namibia, where Positive Vibes is strong, the organization has repeatedly played a central role in defending the rights of target groups.
The organization draws on a large network of partners representing LGBT+, sex workers and PLHIV, and young women more generally.
The results are well documented and highly valued by partners.
Read for example. about Pots of Hope (one of six local organizations in People’s Choice, People’s Voice, a project made in collaboration with Positive Vibes) and the event “Take Back the Night“.
Representatives from police, local associations, churches and government spoke at the “Take Back the Night” meeting in Outjo d. December 6, 2023.
Positive Vibes originated in Namibia during the AIDS epidemic in the 90s as an activity of the Danish NGO Ibis (later Oxfam) and helped to change the view of infected people and boost their self-confidence.
Since then, Positive Vibes has evolved into a regional rights organization with partners across Africa.
The focus is still on the most stigmatized in society – primarily LGBT people, sex workers and people living with HIV (PLHIV). Positive Vibes has offices in Windhoek and Ondangwa, Namibia and Cape Town, South Africa, and utilizes a network of facilitators and consultants across most of Africa.
In Namibia, where Positive Vibes is strong, the organization has repeatedly played a central role in defending the rights of target groups. The organization draws on a large network of partners representing LGBT+, sex workers and PLHIV, and young women more generally.
Over two decades, Positive Vibes has developed its own methods that have proven effective in creating change through networking, organizational development and advocacy.
The results are well documented and highly valued by partners.
CURRENT NEWS
Peoples Choice – Peoples Voice WORKSHOP:
In November 2023, Positive Vibes organized a 5-day workshop with the participation of 24 representatives from the six cities in the People’s Choice – People’s Voice project and representatives from Spor Media.
The aim was to give participants the opportunity to share experiences and learning from working in their respective areas.
It was also an opportunity to get to know each other and network for closer future collaboration.
The focus was on the results so far, successes and challenges in the work.
New opportunities were explored and work plans were made for the coming period.
Panel discussions on advocacy, dialogues and facilitating community meetings were also part of the program.
There are high expectations among the participants, as well as in Positive Vibes and Spor Media, that the project’s methods to combat stigma of vulnerable youth can also be used elsewhere in Namibia.
READ MORE IN THE REPORT:
“People’s Choice, People’s Voice (PCPV) MID-TERM REVIEW & LEARNING REPORT”
Spor Media has known Positive Vibes since the 90s
when the initiative was still operating as the HIV department of Ibis.
For example, Spor was involved in the documentary film project ‘Step for the future’, which originated in South Africa and became a strong voice for the recognition of people with HIV/AIDS also in Namibia.
Later – in 2008 – Spor Media organized conferences and activities in Denmark to spread Positive Vibes’ experiences from Southern Africa.
In 2018, the two organizations started a closer collaboration to strengthen the rights of stigmatized youth in Namibia.
Peoples Choice – Peoples Voice
With a grant from CISU, Spor Media is collaborating with Positive Vibes on projects in six, primarily small and poor towns in Namibia.
The project started in early 2022 in Keetmanshoop in southern Namibia.
With the lessons learned from the work in Keetmanshoop, the project was expanded in early 2023, now under the name Peoples Choice – Peoples Voice.
The aim is to make cities safer and more inclusive for marginalized and vulnerable young people aged 15-24 (LGBT+ people, young women, drug users and sex workers, who are largely exposed to harassment, assault and rape), to test methods that can be used elsewhere in the country and to influence national policies.
The project rests on the assumption that:
There can be no othering when everyone is a part of ‘us’.
In the six cities, new local networks have been established with representatives of young people, local associations and state and municipal authorities.
Together, they are driving a series of changes that create greater
security
,
security
and
inclusion
in the local community.
Great results have already been achieved:
an overall greater understanding of young people and their issues, more churches have become more open to LGBT believers, police have started working with the community to increase safety, recovering drug addicts are accessing help in networking groups, more vulnerable youth are getting back to school, improved conditions in health clinics.
There are several examples of high-level government officials getting involved to help solve serious social problems in their communities.
Video interview with Alexia Naris from Pots of Hope
Alexia Naris is the leader of Pots of Hope – one of six local organizations in Peoples Choice – Peoples Voice.
Pots of Hope is active in Outjo, a small town in northern Namibia.
Peoples Choice – Peoples Voice
.
READ ALSO ARTICLE ABOUT THE EVENT “TAKE BACK THE NIGHT”
AND POTS OF HOPES’ FIGHT TO COUNTER GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE THROUGH LOCAL COLLABORATION, COMMUNITY AND SAFE DIALOG.
