Our comics
“Troubled Waters” is the Winner of the Sustainable Development award 2024
Author: Hans-Christian Mahnke
Illustrator: TafyTang Arts
Namibia’s Fourth Sustainable Development Awards
is an initiative by the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF) and Sustainable Development Advisory Council (SDAC), held under the theme “Investing in our Planet” and focusing on engaging governments, institutions, businesses, and civil society to accelerate change toward a prosperous planet.
Mr Hans Christian Mahnke, the author and former consultant of the LAC, submitted our comic “Troubled Waters: coastal protection, communities, and constitutional commitments” to the competition in the category “Artist Action”. This category celebrates innovations and contributions made by artists in raising awareness and educating the public on environmental issues by promoting sustainable development through artwork.
The comic is a production of the Land, Environment and Development (LEAD) Project and was illustrated by TafyTang Arts. The Hanns Seidel Foundation in Namibia generously provided the funding for this publication.
This comic highlights the critical bond between communities and access to natural resources, threatened by industry activities’ role in climate change. Through powerful visuals and stories, it urges us to adopt sustainable practices and work together to restore the balance before it’s too late.
Often the voice of indigenous and local communities are ignored with decisions being imposed on (often marginalized) communities without properly considering the needs of that specific community. As a result, the outcomes are ill-informed without reference to the direct needs of vulnerable people, who will pay the highest price for human induced climate change effects. In light of the above, this publication wishes to promote the guarantee that indigenous and local communities are always given full information and participation with a meaningful voice in determining developmental needs and in decision-making processes regarding policies and projects relevant for climate change adaptation strategies.
This comic may be freely copied for educational purposes, as long as the source is acknowledged. Full story in the Namibian.
The proceedes of this award are pledged to the Swakopmund Offices of NaDEET.
Here some feedback about our comic:
“I really enjoyed reading it.” (Teacher, Kamwi Sikwanga)
“Spot on.” (john Grobler, investigative journalist)
“This comic shows the real discussions that take place around us and how we can positively impact our actions for the long term.” (Peya Hitula, Managing Director Tunacor)
“I really like the comic” (Anja Kreiner, head of Marine Spatial Planning, Subdivision Environment, National Marine Information and Research Centre.)
“Nice comic strip on the issues of development in the south.” (Agnus Middleton, Director Namibia Nature Foundation)
“Maybe you should print 2.5 million of them as everyone in the country should have access!” (Jean-Paul le Roux, retired marine specialist, Luderitz)
“Excellent comic explaining our environmental laws simply” (Rodney Braby, Senior Technical Advisor, NNF, Marine Coastal Project)
“ A great job. This is amazing. Keep up the great work.” (Linna Nantinda, Director Namibia Environmental Educational Network)
“Thanks for this too! I am not sure how I missed it before, but it’s great” (Naude Dreyer, Ocean Conservation Hub, Swakopmund)
“Lovely comic – SAUMA certainly requires something like this.” (Tanya Dahl, SAUMA)
“Congratulations and well done!” (Herbert Jauch, chairperson board Economic and Social Justice Trust)
“Well done! And great to have a new topic!” (Viktoria Kedina, Director NADEET, Swakopmund)
Congratulations to the winners of our 2023 Wildlife Crime Comic Competition
1st place, Ontana Combined School from the Oshikoto Region, with its comic titled: “Water Smuggling: The borehole water business councillor” by Naftal Amupolo, winning 30.000,- N$ in kind for his school.
Naftal also created a video together with his school’s principal Mr Ifugula, to demonstrate how water is withdrawn from a borehole or well.
2nd place, Onguti Senior Secondary School, Oshikoto Region, with its comic titled: “Illegal fishing”; by Edward David and Johannes Jonas, winning 15.000,-N$ in kind. (Photos will be added.)
3rd place, Delta Secondary School Windhoek, from Khomas, with its comic titled “Save the Pangolins”, produced by the EcoClub of the school, winning 5000,- N$ in kind.
Announcing the winners, the director of the LAC, Ms Toni Hancox, stated:
“I want to congratulate the winning schools. I am very happy about the quality of entries received overall. We have seen a big improvement when compared to last year’s entries and it gives me great hope that our learners are indeed advancing in environmental education.
We thank all schools for participating in this important project, and I hope we can continue with this competition in the years to come.”
The LAC received overall 53 entries, from 28 different schools, representing ten regions.
A wide area of topics were covered, ranging from poaching of various animal species, illegal wildlife trade, illegal fishing, illegal dumping of waste in the ocean, water pollution, illegal sand mining, deforestation, illegal fires, and littering.
The winning comics were selected based on originality, art, character, storyline, and the presence of any legal components.
We thank each school for encouraging children to participate in the competition and more importantly for instilling a desire to protect our environment.
The competition was funded by the LAC and Bread for the World (BfdW).
You too can get involved!
Just create your own story about crimes against the environment or wildlife and show how they affect us.
Show us the consequences of such crimes and show us how to prevent these crimes from happening.
Your story can be real or imaginary – as long as your story shows us what you understand is a crime against wildlife or a crime against the environment, what the consequences for both the wrongdoer and the affected community/citizens and how to possibly prevent these crimes!
Your comic should not be more than 12 pages long.
Entries should be in the English language. Entries in vernacular must have an English translation provided.
Entries must indicate clearly the contact details for the entering school as well as the names of scholars who created the comic.
What must you and your school do?
Present your story in the form of a comic and send it to us before 31 October 2023. Use your imagination and creativity! The comic will be used to inform people across the country on this important issue.
Your comic could focus on any of the following issues:
- wildlife conservation,
- prevention of wildlife crime,
- the legal, social, environmental impacts of wildlife crime,
- illegal harvesting of timber and/or protected plants,
- sustainable management of our natural resources in the context of ensuring community livelihoods.
Click here as to how
Terms and conditions here
Other Resources available:
Baxu and the Giants video
LAC Wildlife Crime comic
Illegal timber harvesting comic
Pangolin comic
Free Ranger
The Incredible Adventures of H2) and his friends: comic
and also on YouTube
Action against wildlife crime: the facts – This is a Powerpoint presentation in Pdf
or also on a narrated version on YouTube
More on our website
Congratulations to the winners of our Comic Writing Competition 2022
Congratulations to Suiderlig Secondary School, Keetmanshoop, for winning our Comic Competition on Wildlife crime.Gabriel Valombola and Simeon Hangula produced a comic about the “Fight Against Illegal Timber” which won them the 1st prize of N$30 000,00 for their school. Vouchers to the value of N$3000,00 from Waltons and N$27 000,00 in vouchers to purchase eco friendly products for the school. The original was edited and printed to be distributed in due course.
2nd place, Sangwali Senior Secondary School, Katima Mulilo, with its comic titled: “Environmental Impacts on Wildlife” and winning vouchers to the value of N$15.000 for their school.
Unfortunately we could not deliver the price in person, but congratulate Toyano Junior Toyano for his achievement.
3rd place, Rehoboth High School with its comic titled “Illegal Harvesting of indigenous Plants” by Ndahafa Hamutenya and David Vaino, winning vouchers to the value of N$5000.
Announcing the winners, the director of the LAC, Ms Toni Hancox, stated: “It is important that each and every child should receive education on how to protect our environment, which is after all a very important part of their future prosperity.”
We received 54 entries from a total of 17 schools across the country from 11 regions. We were overwhelmed by the entries and want to express our gratitude towards the pupils who have participated in this project.
The winning comics were selected by the judges panel based on originality, visual elements, the character of the comic, the storyline, and how and if legal components were correctly included.
It is envisioned that printed version will be made available throughout the country in 2023.
We congratulate all the winning schools and hope that a similar competition can be repeated in the coming years.
