For years, fear shaped everyday life in Shilongo Shuukule Village in Namibia’s Oshikoto Region. Located just 17 kilometres from Etosha National Park, the community lives in close proximity to wildlife. Lions and hyenas frequently strayed from the park into the village, attacking livestock and threatening the very foundation of household livelihoods.

As night fell, families stayed awake and alert, knowing that by morning they might find their animals gone along with their main source of income, food, and security.

Hilma Lugambo, a farmer and long-time resident of Shilongo Shuukule, remembers those nights vividly. 

“For a long time, we suffered,” she recalls. “Our animals were attacked again and again. We kept asking for help, but sometimes help came late, sometimes not at all.”

For Hilma and her neighbours, livestock was far more than an economic asset. Animals were sold not only to meet daily household needs, but also to meet cultural and social responsibilities, including weddings, funerals, and other community ceremonies, where livestock plays a vital cultural and economic role. Each predator attack therefore meant more than financial loss—it disrupted family obligations, weakened social bonds, and deepened feelings of helplessness and exhaustion across the community.

Before 2023, more than 40 livestock predation incidents were recorded in the village, leaving families emotionally strained and livelihoods increasingly fragile.

Recognising Shilongo Shuukule as a high-risk hotspot, a UNDP-supported, GEF-funded Human–Wildlife Conflict and Wildlife Crime Project intervened with targeted, community-driven solutions. The project aimed to strengthen community safety while promoting peaceful coexistence between people and wildlife.

In April 2023, the project introduced practical interventions designed in close collaboration with the community. Three predator-resistant kraals were constructed to secure livestock at night, benefiting 12 farmers and providing safe shelter for 80 small livestock and 310 large livestock. Solar-powered lights were installed to improve night-time visibility and deter predators, while portable spotlights enhanced early detection and rapid response. First aid kits further strengthened community preparedness and emergency response capacity.

“The difference is like night and day,” Hilma explains. “Before, we were always afraid. Now, we have tools to protect ourselves and our animals. When something approaches at night, we can see it and react.”

Since the intervention, Shilongo Shuukule Village has recorded zero livestock losses. Improved lighting and strengthened kraal security have dramatically reduced predator incursions, transforming night-time from a period of fear into one of safety. Families can now sleep peacefully, confident that their livestock and their livelihoods are protected.

Beyond physical protection, the project has strengthened community vigilance, ownership, and trust. Residents are more organised, responsive, and actively engaged in safeguarding both their animals and the surrounding wildlife. The support has restored confidence and renewed hope, demonstrating that communities on the frontline of human–wildlife conflict are not forgotten.

Today, Hilma stands as a voice of resilience. Her story shows how targeted, practical interventions can transform lives turning fear into security, vulnerability into strength, and conflict into coexistence while laying lasting foundations for harmony between people and nature.