The Himba are traditional pastoralists who live in Kaokoland, an area in the Kunene region of northwest Namibia. The project’s field site is in the Omuhonga Basin, about 150 kilometers from Opuwo, the main town in the district.
Kaokoland has an arid climate, with a wet season that usually lasts from November to May. Long droughts are common and can last for years. The area is very sparsely populated, with only about one person for every two square kilometers.
It is said that the Himba have a higher average life expectancy, between 80 and 85 years, with some living up to 100 years. This is much higher than Namibia’s 2021 life expectancy, which was 62 years for women and 55 years for men. In 1997, the Himba life expectancy was estimated at 47 years, while the national average was 74 years.
For the Himba, the way they count age is different, as they start counting a child’s age from the moment of conception in the mother’s mind, not from birth. Their lifestyle and cultural practices also play a role in their unique life expectancy.
The Kunene region has some of the weakest healthcare services in Namibia. Data on the Himba is limited, but regional statistics give some understanding of health conditions in the area.
The Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services provides fertility and mortality data for the Northwest directorate, which includes Kaokoland.
Women in this region have the fastest birth rate in the country, with a mean interval of 37 months between births, and the overall fertility rate is 4.7.
Malaria and tuberculosis (TB) are the main health challenges for the Himba people. However, there is currently no published research on childhood illnesses or malnutrition among the Himba.