Our coastline deserves better

Unbelievable. Heartbreaking. Unacceptable.

These were the words that echoed through the N/a’an ku sê team after a beach clean-up on 3 January 2026 revealed the shocking reality left behind by holidaymakers and coastal residents alike. What should have been a place of beauty and renewal was instead covered in vast amounts of discarded rubbish, carelessly abandoned once the holidays came to an end.

And sadly, this was not an isolated incident.

Just days later, volunteers from the N/a’an ku sê Coastal Conservation Project returned to the very same shoreline, once again collecting kilos of trash strewn across the sand. Plastic, bottles, packaging and waste of all kinds told the same story: a lack of responsibility and respect for one of Namibia’s most precious natural assets.

This litter does not simply spoil the view.

It causes real and lasting harm. Marine animals ingest plastic and debris, often with fatal consequences. Waste pollutes the ocean, disrupts fragile ecosystems, and threatens the future of our marine biodiversity. What is left behind today can impact wildlife and coastal communities for years to come.

Our beaches are not dumping grounds.

Our ocean deserves respect.

Namibia’s coastline is part of our national heritage, admired around the world for its raw beauty and rich marine life. Protecting it is not the responsibility of conservation organisations alone. It belongs to every one of us who walks its shores, swims its waters, or benefits from its existence.

We ask everyone to think before leaving rubbish behind. Take your waste with you. Dispose of it responsibly. Be mindful, be accountable, and be proud of the country we call home.

Let us protect what we love and show the world what Namibia is truly made of.