WIMSA's Institutional Capacity Building
Achievements 1994-2004

Building the capacity of the San in order to empower them to manage their own affairs and institutions has always been a key priority for WIMSA. Just some of the San and WIMSA's achievements during the Decade include:

• WIMSA is established:
  following requests from the San and is mandated by its San Board of Trustees to focus on human rights, training, capacity building, education, research, advocacy and lobbying. Regional WIMSA is based in Windhoek , Namibia and WIMSA Botswana is established in D'Kar, Botswana (1995-96).

• South African San Institute (SASI) set up:
  with the mandate to serve WIMSA and San organisations in South Africa (1996).

• !Xu and K hwe Trust set up:
  as a new development project in Schmidtsdrift , South Africa (1996).

• !Kung visit Khwe:
  facilitated by WIMSA in West Caprivi, Namibia (1998).

• Offices constructed:
  for the !Kung and Khwe San Traditional Authorities in Namibia (1998).

• Capacity of the San in Omaheke to improve:
  The Omaheke San Trust (OST) is established in Namibia - the 8,000 Ju|'hoansi, Naro and !Xõó San living in the Omaheke Region now have a representative and development organisation of their own (1998). In 2003, management decisions are delegated to a mainly San Management Team (2003).

• San in West Caprivi's new organisation: the West Caprivi Development Trust, Namibia is set up (1999).

• New CPA in South Africa:
  ‡Khomani Communal Property Association (CPA) is established in South Africa (2000).

• New organisation promotes harmony:
  The Outjo Development Trust (ODT) is established with WIMSA's assistance in Namibia in order to improve the relationship between the San and other ethnic groups living in the area (2003).

• San Councils prepare to take the lead:
  South African San Council is recommended in 1999 to be set up as the first of all San Councils and is established in 2001. The Namibian San Council follows in 2003 and plans are set for the Botswana San Council to be established in 2005.

• Angolan San meet counterparts:
  San from Angola exchange views with K hwe and ! K ung from South Africa and Namibia at a historic workshop organised by WIMSA (2002).

• Angolan San's first organisation:
  Newly developed organisation, OCADEC (meaning ‘Christian Organisation Supporting Community Development') plays a key role in building San capacity in Angola (2003).