Windhoek, Namibia Project Center - IQP
The Republic of Namibia in southern Africa is characterized by extensive national parks, deserts, seaside ports, livestock farms, and small towns and villages. It also maintains an excellent infrastructure of maintained roads, and in the capital city there is clean water and a high-level of services, although no real public transportation system. Students at the Namibia Project Center are based in Windhoek, the capital city, and stay in comfortable bed and breakfast or student style lodging near WPI's partner university, the Namibia University of Science & Technology (NUST). Students work in the city as well as other parts of the country. They have opportunities to visit national parks and other tourist attractions and to become familiar with Namibia’s urban and rural life. The Windhoek, Namibia Project Center was established in 2001.
Namibia's well-developed governmental and non-governmental agencies at the national and municipal levels sponsor most projects along with some projects with NUST faculty. Projects generally focus on issues of sustainable development and improving educational opportunities. Private sector organizations may also sponsor projects. Some projects take place in towns and peri-urban informal settlements. No prior knowledge of Namibia or Southern Africa is needed, but preparation includes a heavy commitment to learning about the culture of Namibia while preparing specifically for the project.
Past Namibia students have:
•Created an educational video to teach rural students about Namibia's ecosystems through a mobile classroom
•Identified ways to increase sustainable tourism among communities in the Namib Desert
•Developed a pathway to jobs and self-employment for citizens of Windhoek informal settlements
•Identified ways to improve and promote educational programs and pedagogical approaches at NUST