The Kavango woodland savannah in Northern Namibia is one of the few remaining forest resources of a country that is confronted with increasing deforestation. While most people in rural Kavango are struggling for their subsistence as farmers, the uncontrolled harvesting of timber trees is causing severe environmental damage.

"Wiza Wetu!” depicts the situation of villagers who practise logging and introduces the different actors involved in the trade. The film also introduces the concept of community based natural resource management and proposes alternative sources of income. The film is mainly intended to address the rural people of the Kavango Region. It is aimed at raising awareness of the value of natural resources and initiating a discussion on both local and regional level. The film was commissioned by the BIOTA research project. Robert Mukuya, para-ecologist of BIOTA Southern Africa, and leads through the film.

Co-director: Michael Pröpper

Moderation: Robert Mukuya

Germany/Namibia 2007

53 min.

Distribution: Institute for Social Anthropology, University of Hamburg