11 April 2025
Led locally by the Nkashi Trust, the Nkashi Knowledge Centre in Beetsha, Botswana, is a vital community hub that supports education and economic opportunity in the heart of the Okavango Delta.
The National Geographic Society and De Beers Group this week announced the opening of the Nkashi Knowledge Centre in Beetsha, Botswana, which is proudly supported through their Okavango Eternal partnership.
The Nkashi Knowledge Centre in Beetsha provides a vital community hub for all generations. Building on the success of the first Centre in Maun, which opened in 2022 and has welcomed over 3,000 visitors, the new Nkashi Knowledge Centre, funded by Okavango Eternal, will serve the communities of the Okavango Delta’s Eastern Panhandle.
This new location in Beetsha expands access to learning and skills development in one of the most remote parts of the Delta — helping support the region’s growing demands for conservation education, vocational training and sustainable livelihood opportunities. The Centre was developed following deep consultation with community members and traditional leadership, including through traditional public meetings (known as “kgotla” in the Setswana language). It is endorsed by Beetsha’s village chief, Bonang Karundu.
In addition, the Centre provides a space for celebrating and preserving the Okavango Delta’s traditional knowledge, languages and customs. The name “Nkashi” refers to the pole used to propel a mokoro — a traditional carved canoe — but it has also become a local metaphor for progress and forward movement.
With the support of Okavango Eternal, the new Nkashi Knowledge Centre in Beetsha will offer:
- Support for small businesses, including incubation space and financial literacy training
- Nkashi Storytelling Clubs, which mentor the region’s budding conservation storytellers
- Conservation programming that elevates both academic science and traditional knowledge
- Information and communication technology (ICT) training
- Community events, including career fairs and film screenings
- A Nkashi Bus outfitted with books and educational materials by authentic local voices to take “knowledge on the go” and supplement the physical Centre
Activities at the Centre will be coordinated by the Nkashi Trust, which locally implements the work of the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project (NGOWP). The NGOWP, alongside communities, is working to help protect and preserve the Okavango Basin, from its source in Angola to the Delta in Botswana. Its work comes to life through scientific research, conservation education and powerful storytelling about the ecosystem and its benefits, which, through funding and support, the Okavango Eternal partnership is helping expand and accelerate.
“The Nkashi Knowledge Centre in Beetsha is more than a physical building. What started as the Nkashi Classic — an annual mokoro race celebrating cultural heritage — and a gripping film, Nkashi: Race for the Okavango — has evolved to become a social movement.
I hope the communities of the Eastern Panhandle feel a sense of pride and ownership when they step into the doors of the Nkashi Knowledge Centre in Beetsha. This is a place that celebrates their profound knowledge and their crucial role in protecting and stewarding one of our planet’s most precious ecosystems.” – Steve Boyes, National Geographic Explorer and Founder of the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project.
In addition to promoting cultural preservation and livelihoods, the Nkashi Knowledge Centre serves as an extension of the village leadership’s office, providing a space for community gatherings and educational forums.
“Speaking on behalf of the Okavango Community Trust community villages, I express my sincere gratitude for choosing Beetsha as the base for a resource centre that will serve our communities.
This Centre will provide essential resources, skills and opportunities that will support the growth and development of our people. It is indeed a valuable asset that will strengthen our communities and create a lasting impact for our future generations. We appreciate the initiative and look forward to the positive change it will bring to our communities and the nation.” – Bonang Karundu, Kgosi of Beetsha village.
During his keynote address at today’s opening, Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa, commended the partnership for creating this platform.
“I believe just like ‘nkashi,’ which propels mokoro through the Okavango Delta waters, this facility will propel this community forward,” said Minister Motshegwa.
Minister Motshegwa also emphasised the importance of the community preserving and harnessing their traditional knowledge and culture to develop sustainable livelihoods.
“Education is at the heart of the Society’s mission because knowledge has the power to change the world,” said Jill Tiefenthaler, chief executive officer of the National Geographic Society.
“The Nkashi Knowledge Centre embodies this belief — serving as a catalyst for discovery, innovation and the vibrant exchange of ideas. It provides a space where learning is continuous, where traditional wisdom meets new insights, and where future leaders are empowered to protect nature and people.”
The launch of the new Nkashi Knowledge Centre in Beetsha also marks another milestone in the Okavango Eternal partnership’s ongoing commitment to protecting the natural world and supporting local communities. To date, the partnership has helped conserve over 1.25 million hectares of the Okavango River Basin through mapping, monitoring and research. It has also helped refurbish and improve infrastructure for 12,000 communities near the source of the Delta, created more than 1,500 sustainable livelihoods, and supported nearly 3,000 students through education initiatives.
“The Okavango Delta’s natural beauty is beyond measure and it’s a great privilege that through our Okavango Eternal partnership with National Geographic we are able to play a role in helping to protect its life-giving waters,” said Sandrine Conseiller, CEO of De Beers Brands.
“This partnership is a true embodiment of our commitment to Building Forever, and our focus on livelihoods, climate action and nature within the countries where our natural diamonds are recovered.
Opening the Nkashi Knowledge Centre is a moment of celebration for us all. We hope it will act as a space that brings people together to drive change for the benefit of both the remarkable communities and exceptional biodiversity of the Delta and serve as a proud and tangible example of the power of partnership and the goods that diamonds can do.”
In addition to extending vital services to Beetsha, the building of the Nkashi Knowledge Centre has created nearly 100 jobs in the region. These jobs include camp establishment, construction of the building and program implementation to plan and execute its community development projects.
About National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organisation that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 15,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences, stories and content.
To learn more, visit www.nationalgeographic.org or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.
About De beers Group
Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining, marketing and retailing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa.
Innovation sits at the heart of De Beers Group’s strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers that span the diamond value chain, including its jewellery houses, De Beers London and Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives Tracr and GemFair. De Beers Group also provides leading services and technology to the diamond industry in the form of education and laboratory services and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology services.
De Beers Group is committed to ‘Building Forever,’ a holistic and integrated approach to sustainability that underpins our efforts to create meaningful impact for the people and places where our diamonds are discovered. Building Forever focuses on three key areas where, through collaborations and partnerships around the globe, we have an enhanced ability to drive positive impact: Livelihoods, Climate and Nature. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.
About Okavango Eternal
Okavango Eternal is a partnership between National Geographic and De Beers to help address one of Africa’s most critical conservation challenges: protecting the source waters of the Okavango Delta. Over the course of five years, De Beers is working together with National Geographic by providing support, expertise and funding to expand and accelerate work already underway, helping to establish sustainable local livelihoods in harmony with the Okavango Basin’s conservation. The 5-year partnership has two objectives: protecting the natural world by supporting community-based systems of protection and local governments to protect biodiversity, striving to reach 5.4M hectares around the headwaters of the Okavango River Basin by 2026, and supporting communities by enabling stronger economic foundations and providing access to as many as 10,000 livelihood opportunities by 2026.
More details of the Okavango Eternal partnership are available at: www.nationalgeographic.com/okavango-eternal and https://www.debeers.com/en-us/okavangoeternal.html.
Learn more about the partnership’s progress to date in its newly released midterm report.
About Nkashi Trust
Nkashi Trust (formally the Botswana Wild Bird Trust) was established in 2018. It aims to advance research and monitoring of the water and ecosystem of the Okavango Delta to inform its conservation. Its mission, to enhance opportunities for Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Culture as a primary mechanism for conservation and sustainable community development, is brought to life through a deep connection with place and community. The Nkashi Knowledge Centres in Maun and Beetsha are long-term commitments to the spirit of Nkashi — Knowledge propels us.
Source: https://rb.gy/ug2r05
