Bios - Permaculture Namibia

Warren Brush

Warren Brush is a certified Permaculture designer and educator as well as a mentor and storyteller. He has worked for over 20 years in inspiring people of all ages to discover, nurture and express their inherent gifts while living in a sustainable manner.

He is co-founder of Quail Springs Learning Oasis & Permaculture Farm (a few of their offerings include: Permaculture Design Certification courses for Youth called Sustainable Vocations, PDC for Adults and Sustainable Aid Courses among many other offerings), Wilderness Youth Project, Mentoring for Peace, and Trees for Children.

He works extensively in Permaculture education and sustainable systems design in North America and in Africa through his design firm, True Nature Design.

Kimberly Cornish

Kimberly Cornish is the coordinator of the Vergenoeg Permaculture Project.

She completed undergraduate multidisciplinary studies at the University of Victoria in art, political science, environmental studies, international development and anthropology. Taking a diverse field of studies promoted her to think laterally and to integrate understanding from seemingly unrelated areas. Her varied work experience in vocational training at the Namibia Training Authority, teaching in Honduras, post-tsunami clean up work in Thailand and fundraising for Serve Nepal and the Australian Red Cross refined her coordination skills and her ability to find unique approaches to perceived problems. She studied Permaculture to enrich her knowledge of ecological principles and to find a sustainable solution to the food shortage in the village of Vergenoeg.

Her involvement in the Vergenoeg project has been the most meaningful learning experience to date as it has helped her to see how interconnected we are as a global society. The issues faced by Vergenoeg are fundamentally the same as those of people all over the world and she has been privileged to be given the opportunity to work to finding ways to make the way we live on the planet more sustainable and abundant along with the people of Vergenoeg.

Ei Ei Khin

Ei Ei is the documentarian for the project. She has over a decade of experience in the non-profit sector. In her most recent leadership role, she served as the Operations Manager for a Bay Area non-profit whose 2012 national campaigns promoted women’s reproductive rights and voters’ rights using documentary media.

Ei Ei’s passion for service is fueled by the courage of compassion-driven teams everywhere that take on organizational growing pains in order to better serve their clients. To effectively manage or counsel the organizations she works with, her work goes beyond production of “expert” information to include how to build capacity, leverage assets, bridge the knowing-doing gap, and practice continual self care as an organization.

Ei Ei received a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in American Religion from the University of California Santa Barbara and an M.S. in Management with a concentration in Leadership and Change from the School for International Training in Vermont. She is also certified in Conflict Transformation, Non-violent Communication, and Permaculture Design.

Dr. Ibo Zimmerman

Dr. Zimmerman became familiar with Permaculture when Bill Mollison visited Botswana in the 1980's. He is currently a professor in the Department of Agriculture at the Polytechnic in Windhoek, Namibia, where he leads hands-on Permaculture projects.

Contact Details:
Polytechnic of Namibia
P. Bag 13388
Windhoek, Namibia
Phone: +264 612 072 461
izimmermann@polytechnic.edu.na

Aaron Eelu

Aron Eelu, born and raised in an agricultural village called Oniipa, a village situated 9 kilometers east of Ondangwa, in the northern parts of Namibia. Aron is now (2012) a 3rd year student in the Polytechnic of Namibia studying towards a bachelor degree in Agricultural Management.
Aron has been involved in many major activities and organizations which have brought much recognition to the Polytechnic as a whole. Gobabeb Research and Training Centre and Vergenoeg Permaculture Project are examples. Aron currently works part-time at Windhoek Internet Café as a computer technician. Aron's favorite course is Rangeland Management and he loves farming. Aron is ready to tackle any arising agricultural matters in order to preserve natural resources which do not only benefit us, but future generations as-well.

Aron enjoys meeting new friends as well as all sporting and outdoor events, particularly soccer, and enjoys listening to music (Music Man).

Contact Details:
Email: aroneelu@gmail.com
Facebook: Aaron Eelu
Cellphone: +26481 465 8 465

Thom Aumbi

Coming soon.

Nomsa Mokgatle

Nomsa Mokgatle, born in Omaheke region Gobabis and raised on agricultural Farm called Arbeidsgenot 10 kilometres East of Vergenoeg.

Start my primary school on missionary school called Gunichas R.C School and finish high school in Western Cape Daizville High School, Saldanha bay South Africa. After high school I study for National Certificate of Dental Assistant at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (2005), and after completed worked for the orthodontist (Dr Joggie Briedenhann) in Windhoek Namibia.

Nomsa is now (2012) a 3rd year student in the Polytechnic of Namibia studying towards a bachelor degree in Agricultural Management. Nomsa has been involved in major activities and organizations
which have brought much recognition to the Polytechnic as a whole, Vergenoeg Permaculture Project are examples. I am currently helping my parents managing the farm during weekends and holiday. Nomsa’s favorite course is Soil Science and Horticulture.

The permaculture approach is to focus on the positives, the opportunities that exist rather than the obstacles, even in the most desperate situations.

Contact Details:
Email: ursulajeep@yahoo.com
Facebook: Nomsa Mokgatle
Cellphone: +26481 304 3288

Nicky Intamba Iita

Coming soon.

Walter Valentino

Coming soon.