Surviving the Harsh Desert Environment – Meet Utuseb’s Townfolk

 

By: Dwight Links

 

Located 54 km outside of Namibia’s coastal town Walvis Bay, lies the small settlement of Utuseb.

Here, the community is nestled along the Kuiseb River on one side, while the opposite river bank is bordered by the Namib Desert.

The essence of Utuseb is intricately woven into the daily struggles and triumphs of its inhabitants, as well as the local school that calls this unforgiving climate its home.

Each cluster of houses or homesteads endeavours to cultivate its own form of gardening to ensure a diverse diet alongside the rearing of livestock.

For example, Lena Kasper-Bees, a 59-year-old retiree and long-time resident of Utuseb, boasts one of the most thriving home gardens in the area.