About Us
ORKCA innovates on traditional conservation approaches towards a community-driven, tech-empowered, and financially self-sufficient model.
"Large conservation programs, like new scientific disciplines, start with a heroic age. A few individuals push forward, risking failure and harm to their own security and reputations. They have a dream that does not fit the norm. They accept long hours, personal expense, nagging uncertainty, and rejection. When they succeed, their idiosyncratic views become the new normal. Their individual stories are then rightfully seen as epics. They become part of environmental history."
Vision
A vast connected and rewilded conservation landscape representative of the unique Orange River – Karoo ecosystem with free-roaming wildlife that benefits all stakeholders.
Mission
To restore and rewild the Orange-River Karoo landscape by ecologically weaving Namibia and South Africa together into a balanced, functional ecosystem.
Leadership Team
Andreia Pawel,
Founder & CEO
Andreia’s origins are from Brazil, and she grew up in England where she became a British Fencing Champion. Andreia’s fascination for primates and itch for cultural immersions took her to field experience in Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Brazil, and Kenya. Andreia completed an MSc in Primatology & Conservation at The Durrell Institute of Conservation Ecology and then became a conservation entrepreneur. Alongside that, Andreia’s thesis on environmental education led to work in Tanzania where she directed and produced an award-winning environmental education film shown at the Sondrio Wildlife Film Festival.
Andreia co-founded Oana Namibia and led as the CEO, one of Namibia’s leading adventure tourism organizations which has now closed.
Andreia also co-founded Oana Community Foundation, a non-profit organization in Southern Namibia. Andreia, alongside her business partner Ed, has gained experience in landscape restoration through the process of rewilding Kum Kum Reserve, one of the founding members to join ORKCA.
Maggie van Staden,
Administrator
Maggie van Staden, born in Keetmanshoop, raised in Windhoek, and now based in Karasburg, brings a wealth of experience to her role at ORKCA.
Maggie’s extensive experience spans over two decades in finance and administrative roles. She has demonstrated her expertise through various positions, including Creditor and Inventory Officer at Sanlam Namibia (2014-2023), and Accounts Administrator at Old Mutual Namibia (2010-2014). Maggie holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Law (2017-2020) and Higher Certificates in Accounting (2013-2017), and Paralegal Studies (2016).
As the Administrator at ORKCA, Maggie supports the organization’s strategic objectives through ensuring the smooth operation of ORKCA’s administrative functions.
Maggie is connected to the local community and the unique landscape of the Karas region. Her familiarity with the area and her commitment to conservation align with ORKCA’s goals, making her a valuable addition to the team.
Maggie is enthusiastic about contributing to ORKCA’s vision, and her proactive attitude and willingness to take on responsibility plays a key role in supporting ORKCA’s mission, vision, and efforts.
Maria Shaetonhodi,
Head of Finance
Maria Shaetonhodi, currently living in Windhoek, has a wealth of experience in the NGO sector. With over 15 years of experience, particularly in diverse fields like environmental, health, and social sectors- she is well-versed in managing and understanding the complexities of nonprofit financials.
She is currently completing a master’s thesis in development finance from the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business. She is not only experienced but also committed to deepening her expertise in areas critical for NGO sustainability and growth.
Her passion for the environment and love for hiking and nature align well with her professional background, which influences her commitment to sustainability.
Nabot Mbeeli,
Chief Operations Officer
Nabot Mbeeli is a dedicated Namibian in the conservation space who grew up at the coastal town of Swakopmund. He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) Degree in Environmental Biology and Geology from the University of Namibia (UNAM), and a Master’s Degree in Natural Resources Management from the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST).
Nabot has experience in Community Based Natural Resources Management with a focus on strengthening community governance and participation in nature-based enterprises. His core competency is in strengthening and leveraging protected areas, supporting governance structures, natural resource management, and business enterprises, with the goal of improving livelihoods in rural communities across the country.
In addition to his hands on conservation work, Nabot has also been recognized as a fellow in the Africa Wildlife Foundation’s Charles R. Wall Young African Policy program, where he focused on biodiversity governance and policy-making, aiming to influence Africa’s biodiversity policies at both national and international levels.
Alton Tsowaseb,
Community Program Officer
A day in the life
Growing up in a conservancy in the Erongo region of northern central Namibia, Alton has always been passionate about conservation and the part people and their communities can play in preserving nature. He holds a National Diploma in Natural Resources Management from the Polytechnic of Namibia and a Bachelor of Natural Resource Management (Honours), from the Namibian University of Science and Technology, which, coupled with stints in the mining sector, environmental education, water resources management and community conservation, has given him a wealth of diverse experience in various aspects of conservation.
Key work positions include a Conservancy Leadership internship program with NACSO, (The Namibian Association of Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) Support Organisations), the Ministry of Agriculture Water and Land Reform in the Geohydrology Division as a Hydrological Technician and Namibia’s Integrated Natural Resources Management as a Cluster Coordinator, supporting five communal conservancies with various aspects of Natural Resources management and development. As ORKCA’s Community Program Officer he is thrilled to get back to sitting around a campfire with community leaders and discussing the realities they face, and together looking at potential solutions. His hope is that local communities realise the potential they possess to uplift livelihoods through conservation-led enterprises. In between Alton loves cooking and playing chess, and spends time birdwatching as often as he can.
Jannie Van de Merwe,
Reserve Manager
A day in the life
Jannie is Namibian born and raised, and his love of the land comes from growing up on a farm in southern Namibia among a community passionate about their country and life in the bush. With an honours degree in hydrology and geohydrology from the Northwest-University Potchefstroom (NWU) South Africa and also a B.Sc. in Geology and Geography, he worked as an environmental scientist with Geo Pollution Technologies Namibia, specialising in geohydrology, geology and hydrology.
In a region regularly facing drought and the impacts of climate change, his experience in groundwater and soil monitoring and sampling, geophysics (borehole siting), hydrocensus studies and groundwater specialist studies is invaluable and will help ORKCA’s rewilding and conservation work in the future. Jannie is not only our Assistant Reserve Manager, he personally works his own farm nearby and daily faces the same challenges as our reserve neighbours, bringing a unique insider perspective and making him the perfect reserve liaison. When not on the reserve Jannie will still always be found outdoors, hunting, fishing and perfecting his newfound interest in locating and identifying wildlife tracks.
Red Barthorp,
Innovation and Strategy Consultant
Ed grew up in the Cotswolds of the UK, where he enjoyed the countryside upbringing yet always had one eye on the wilds of Africa. Ed found his feet in Kenya ten years ago with involvement in projects with Northern Rangelands Trust, Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Loisaba Conservancy.
Ed then moved to work for the Tanzania People and Wildlife Fund before completing an MSc in Conservation and Business at the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology.
Ed has been in southern Namibia for the past six years co-founding the adventure-conservation expedition company, Oana Namibia, whilst concurrently co-founding the non-profit Oana Community Foundation. Ed’s passion lies in landscape conservation, big ideas, creative and original tourism and rewilding. He is an avid explorer, surfer, mountaineer and horticulturist.
Emma Louise Grover,
Brand Manager
Emma Louise – an advocate for community engagement and storytelling, born in Cape Town, South Africa. Emma’s global travels laid the groundwork for her curiosity in the way people engage with their landscape. Inspired by this curiosity, Emma pursued studies in Anthropology and Psychology at The University of Cape Town and Rhodes University, acquiring an understanding of the threads that bind societies together.
Beyond her passion for community agency building, Emma’s professional experience includes roles where she has led teams in dynamic environments. Her previous position as Head of Content Development at Rewire Trauma Therapy gave her experience in key areas such as heading the copywriting, content development, and communications teams. Having been part of her previous company from its inception, Emma brings organizational, writing, and communication skills to the table.
Emma brings hands-on experience in community agency building and sustainability, having actively contributed to organizations- the most recent being the Bulungula Incubator in Bulungula, South Africa, where she worked alongside the community in creating sustainable and empowering initiatives. Emma’s commitment to fostering meaningful change is not just a vocation but a calling.
Lorentha Haraes,
Project Coordinator
Lorentha Haraes is a native of the scenic town of Swakopmund on Namibia’s west coast. Her roots trace back to the North West region of Namibia, where her family has deep ties to the land. From a young age, Lorentha’s fascination with conservation was ignited by the rich beauty of nature that surrounded her. She witnessed firsthand the symbiotic relationship between the community and the conservation efforts that sustained them and this sparked her interest in safeguarding her country’s natural heritage.
Lorentha Haraes is a purpose-driven individual with a wealth of experience and an academic foundation in Natural Resource Management from the Namibian University of Science and Technology. She has dedicated her career to restoration ecology and biodiversity conservation.
Throughout her career, Lorentha has held various positions, including Conservation Manager at Mokolodi Nature Reserve in Botswana, where she led efforts in wildlife census, vegetation assessments, and reserve management. Prior to this, she served as a Spatial Ecologist and postgraduate intern, contributing to wildlife census and scientific reports with organizations like Namibian Chamber of Environment and Bushskies Aerial Photography.
Lorentha’s dedication to conservation extends beyond her professional roles. She has actively engaged in environmental education and research, including projects focused on the restoration ecology of the Namib Desert and the impact of off-road vehicle tracks on lichen and invertebrate communities.
As a Biology teacher with the Ministry of Education, Lorentha imparted knowledge and inspired students before pursuing further studies to deepen her expertise in conservation.
Lorentha is passionate about landscape conservation, innovative tourism, and rewilding initiatives.
Winfred Pokolo,
Human Resources Manager
Winfred was born and raised in Lüderitz, also known as the windy city in Southern Namibia. He is the third born out of five children with a sincere love for people and social impact.
At ORKCA he is responsible for and seen as the “glue” that holds the staff together and ensures that the team is taken care of and that they continuously carry out and focus on the mandate of the organisation.
He completed a Diploma in HR at the then Polytechnic of Namibia and proceeded to Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in South Africa for a BCom Honours in Industrial Psychology & HR Management.
Winfred has ten years of professional Human Resources Management experience with a sharp focus on Organisational Development, Talent Management, Industrial Relations and Performance Management. He is the owner of Spiral HR Consultants serving various clients in the public sector, private sector, and non-profit sector.
Gary Van Wyk,
Photographer
Gary Van Wyk is a South African photographer whose passion for exploration and ability to connect with people have seen him document some of the most notable individuals and moments of his country’s young democracy.
Gary’s journey as a photographer began during an internship at Independent Newspapers in 2003. Still a student at the time, he was quickly hired and started to work as a full-time photographer for the news group. Since then, working both for various media houses and in his own capacity, Gary’s images have gone on to appear in numerous local and international publications, group exhibitions and two solo exhibitions.
He has gained access to some of the 21st century’s most significant people, travelling across the globe while on assignment. Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey and Desmond Tutu are among his most notable subjects, and he has worked in locations as remote and diverse as Nepal, New York, the Amazon rainforest and the mountains of the Caucasus.
Gary’s welcoming and warm nature enables people to relax in front of his lens, and often invites him into intimate spaces where he has a remarkable ability to capture the essence of a moment. His most intimate and emotive photographs are those of his fiance and their daughter.
Studying the Masters of Photography has always inspired him and, although so much is visible online these days, his preferred way is to view their pictures in his collection of photography books.
Angelina,
Housekeeper & Hostess ORKCA HeadQuarters
Angelina has been with us for the last five years. Angelina, engages with visitors and teaches them how to make traditional jewelry out of beads. Angelina also leads traditional cooking workshops, baking bread underground. Angelina led a community project using solar ovens to bake and to cook soup to feed the local soup kitchen.
Cienna,
Game Guard & Permaculture Specialist
Cienna is from Ubib, a small village in the Karas region. Cienna is fascinated with plants and has run the indigenous tree nursery on ORKCA for the last two years. Cienna manages all the waterpoints on the reserve, grades the tracks and boreholes. Cienna is incredibly handy at fixing things, he maintains all the vehicles. Cienna’s particular interest in medicinal plants, spending time with him in the bush is like downloading a botanical encyclopedia, he knows all the properties of all the plants.
Julian Jarr,
Field Ranger
Julian is from Warmbad. Julian stays on ORKCA HQ during the week as he tirelessly oversees the farm’s water systems. Additionally, Julian is the go-to person for fence maintenance and removals, and maintaining the vehicle tracks within the reserve. In addition to his efforts on the farm, Julian also dedicates time to nurturing the ORKCA vegetable garden and tending to the indigenous tree bank nursery, showcasing his interest in sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation, with the tree bank nursery serving as an important project for future carbon sequestration efforts. In his off time, Julian relishes watching rugby and immersing himself in the excitement of the sport when he can.
Board Members
Dr. Greg Stuart-Hill
Former Conservation Director for WWF-Namibia.
Maxi Louis
Director of the Namibian Association of CBNRM (Community-Based Natural Resource Management) Support Organisations (NACSO).
Sean Gerrity
Founder of American Prairie Reserve (APR)
Shirley Bethune
Senior Lecturer at Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST), Natural Resource Department
Founders
Andreia Pawel
Founder & CEO
Andreia’s origins are from Brazil, and she grew up in England where she became a British Fencing Champion. Andreia’s fascination for primates and itch for cultural immersions took her to field experience in Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Brazil, and Kenya. Andreia completed an MSc in Primatology & Conservation at The Durrell Institute of Conservation Ecology and then became a conservation entrepreneur. Alongside that, Andreia’s thesis on environmental education led to work in Tanzania where she directed and produced an award-winning environmental education film shown at the Sondrio Wildlife Film Festival.
Andreia co-founded Oana Namibia and led as the CEO, one of Namibia’s leading adventure tourism organizations which has now closed.
Andreia also co-founded Oana Community Foundation, a non-profit organization in Southern Namibia. Andreia, alongside her business partner Ed, has gained experience in landscape restoration through the process of rewilding Kum Kum Reserve, one of the founding members to join ORKCA.
Red Barthorp
Founder
Ed grew up in the Cotswolds of the UK, where he enjoyed the countryside upbringing yet always had one eye on the wilds of Africa. Ed found his feet in Kenya ten years ago with involvement in projects with Northern Rangelands Trust, Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Loisaba Conservancy.
Ed then moved to work for the Tanzania People and Wildlife Fund before completing an MSc in Conservation and Business at the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology.
Ed has been in southern Namibia for the past six years co-founding the adventure-conservation expedition company, Oana Namibia, whilst concurrently co-founding the non-profit Oana Community Foundation. Ed’s passion lies in landscape conservation, big ideas, creative and original tourism and rewilding. He is an avid explorer, surfer, mountaineer and horticulturist.
Advisory Panel
At ORKCA, our mission is fuelled by the commitment and action of our incredible Patrons. These passionate individuals from around the globe embody the spirit of change, actively steering the ORKCA ship towards our shared mission. They are the Doers, the driving force propelling our vision into reality. We are profoundly grateful for this constellation of inspiring individuals whose guidance and support light our path on this ever-challenging journey. Join us in acknowledging and celebrating our invaluable Patrons, the true heartbeat of ORKCA.
Lisa Yao
Product Strategy Lead, Google
Lisa is drawn to ORKCA’s visionary approach to conservation and rewilding that not only honors nature, but also the long term interaction of communities with the environment. She believes that conservation projects of ORKCA’s ambition and caliber are once-in-a-century and is excited to support ORKCA in bringing its vision to fruition, especially by connecting communities around the world to ORKCA’s cause.
Lisa works on product strategy for Google’s search advertising business based out of San Francisco and previously worked on strategy and consulting for the U.S. National Park Service, World Bank, and a small & medium enterprise investment firm in South Africa. She holds an MBA, Masters in Public Administration in International Development, and Bachelors degree from Harvard University. Lisa is an avid backpacker and bike-packer and love to explore and savor wildernesses around the globe.
Ben Goldsmith
CEO Menhaden Capital, Financier and Environmentalist
Ben Goldsmith, an esteemed member of our International Advisory Council, boasts a wealth of expertise in environmental stewardship and sustainable investments. Serving as the Chief Executive of Menhaden Resource Efficiency Plc, a London-listed investment trust dedicated to green-focused initiatives, Ben has been at the forefront of driving change. His previous co-founding role at WHEB Asset Management, emphasizing sustainability, underscores his deep-rooted commitment to environmental causes.
Chris and Monique Fallows
Conservationists
Chris and Monique are passionate naturalists spending extensive periods with various wildlife species in the wilds of Southern and East Africa, as well as photographing iconic wildlife species on all seven continents for the past 30 years.
Through their marine ecotourism business specializing in the natural hunting behavior of great white sharks, Chris, Monique and their team documented more than 10,400 predatory events over a period of nearly three decades.
This is the largest database of its kind in the world, resulting in 18 peer reviewed scientific papers.
Chris was the first person to document Seal Island’s breaching great white sharks in 1996, capturing the first photographs of this now-famous behaviour off the coast of Cape Town. From 2001 to 2021, Chris served as a host for “Air Jaws,” an Emmy-nominated documentary series featured on Discovery Channel’s Shark Week.
Chris uses his photography and storytelling to highlight environmental threats and inspire sustainable coexistence with wildlife, aiming to protect biodiversity and celebrate our planet’s iconic species.
Monique is an accomplished public speaker and children’s book author. Her passion lies in educating young children about ecosystems and the importance of each animal’s role in keeping ecosystems healthy and in balance.
Kristian Teleki
CEO at Fauna & Flora
“I believe in the power of collective action to protect our ocean and land spaces while working with the communities that depend on them. ORKCA embodies this spirit, combining passion, innovation, and collaboration to secure a future for our planet. I’m truly honoured to contribute to this mission.”
Kristian joined Fauna & Flora in July 2023, bringing a wealth of experience in ocean and wildlife conservation. Before this, he was the Global Director of the Ocean Programme at the World Resources Institute and Ocean Action Agenda at the World Economic Forum, where he led initiatives like Friends of Ocean Action and the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy. Starting his career in coral reef research, Kristian has held senior roles with organisations including UNEP-WCMC, the Global Ocean Commission, and the Prince of Wales’s International Sustainability Unit, driving global efforts to protect marine ecosystems and promote sustainability.
