Konny von Schmettau – Tangeni Shilongo Namibia e.V.

Konny
von Schmettau

Who is Konny von Schmettau?

Konny’s story is anything but boring and tells a lot about her personality: her strong will and determination, her tendency for adventure, but also her ability to accept and acknowledge weaknesses and to stand up again after every drawback. Regarding the latter, she likes to quote Frederike Frei: “I cannot dismiss my dreams without notice, I still owe them my life!“.

Konny studied classical archaeology and art history, learned marketing and PR in an advertising agency and worked for four years as the first accredited foreign correspondent and war correspondent after the dictatorship of the then head of state Idi Amins in Uganda.

Already at the age of 9, Konny knew that she wanted to become a journalist and live in Africa, and she chose her own paths to achieve this goal. On her travels she has already seen countless countries, but the place where she lost her heart is Namibia. Swakopmund has been her new home since 2005. In addition to her work as a freelance journalist for Namibian daily newspapers, Konny also writes travel books that critics refer to as “literary travel guides”. She is the owner of the Namibian-based travel company “Namibia Aktiv & Safaris – Tours for Charity“.

How we met

We got to know Konny through a shared passion: to stand aside people in need. When we started with a COVID-19-related food supply in Swakopmund, Konny immediately offered a hand. Even though being heavily involved in her own social projects, she unhesitatingly helped our confidant on site Jens Detmold to distribute the food parcels while also caring for other people she selected. Since then, she has stood by our side with a positive fighting spirit, unwavering motivation and great hope.

Commitment

Konny’s heart beats for her community and she is ready to stand up for what is important to her. She supports kindergartens, soup kitchens, schools and hostels with donations. She thereby focuses on single mothers and their children, whom she provides with school fee payments, teaching materials and medical assistance in emergencies – quickly and unbureaucratically. For each trip booked through her company and for each of her books sold, a share of the proceeds goes to people in need.

Current projects

Commitment in Swakopmund

Commitment in Walvis Bay

Commitment in the Zambesi Region

Completed projects

Kindergarten Tulinawa

Greenhouses in Sangwali

Craft Market Okahandja

Namibia Aktiv & Safaris – Tours for Charity

Namibia is a country of contrasts. While in the west, the sand dunes of the Namib border directly on the Atlantic Ocean, in the north, flowering river landscapes extend with their waterfalls and palm-covered banks. Crocodiles and hippos gather here as well as tough desert antelopes and big cats, and next to the huge elephant herds of Etosha National Park you can discover the smallest antelopes on earth.

If you want to explore this beautiful country, Konny plans and organizes guided or self-driver tours. There are as many travel possibilities as facets of Namibia: from camping holidays over guest farms to luxurious lodges. As a self-driver, you can discover the country, join a tour group or hire your own personal tour guide. No matter what your preferences are and which corner of Namibia you’re most interested in, there’s nothing Konny can’t plan professionally and tailored to you.

Write an email to Konny (info@namibia-aktiv.com) and send her your travel wishes with your existing budget. And don’t forget, for every trip you book through Konny and every book you buy from her, there’s always a share of the proceeds going to people in need.