Art. Education. Conservation. In the heart of coastal communities.
Waves of Change
on your image headers.
Art. Education. Conservation. In the heart of coastal communities.
Waves of Change
on your image headers.
What is it?
Waves of Change is a community-powered project that’s turning the walls of Lüderitz into massive works of ocean-inspired art. From schools to public buildings, street corners to community spaces – the whole town is now a gallery for change.
At the centre is NIMPA – the Namibian Islands’ Marine Protected Area – a critical home to penguins, whales, turtles, and seabirds. The murals share stories of how we can protect this ocean life and why it matters.
Why paint murals?
Because art makes people stop and think.
Each mural is a conversation starter. Created by students, artists, and locals, they spotlight:
- Pollution in our oceans
- Endangered marine species
- The value of marine protected areas
- How coastal communities depend on the sea
- The power of action at the local level
- They’re based on themes from the Ocean Literacy Toolkit, a hands-on education resource used in schools and workshops.
Each mural is also accompanied by a plaque with a QR code, so visitors can scan to learn more about the artwork, the themes it explores, and the wider NIMPA+ initiative.
What’s been done?
In 2024 and 2025, the project brought:
- Over a dozen murals on public and school walls across Lüderitz
- Art + conservation workshops with young people and volunteers
- On-site expertise from NAMCOB, the leading seabird and marine conservation group in Lüderitz
- Photos, videos, reels, and stories seen across Namibia and beyond
- A proposed public billboard, currently under discussion with the Lüderitz Town Council, planned to display key messages from the project
Who made it happen?
Waves of Change is led by a strong team of local and international partners:
- Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF)
- GRID-Arendal
- NAMCOB – Namibian Foundation for the Conservation of Seabirds
- COSDEC-Benguela
- Benguela Infinite Fisheries and Harvesting Association (BIFAH)
- And many passionate people in Lüderitz: artists, students, teachers, parents, rangers, and fishers.
Take a look
See the murals and meet the people behind them:
Explore #NIMPAPLUS on Instagram »
Watch the videos:
Waves of Change: Armand’s Journey Through Art and Awareness
Live from Lüderitz!
Live from Angra Pequena Senior Secondary School
A very, very big thank you…
Straight from Angra Pequena Senior Secondary School
We’ve arrived in Lüderitz
Winds, stencils, and a lot of teamwork
Join us at the Waves of Change workshop in Lüderitz
Sunny Imalwa on the Waves of Change Transforming Lüderitz Through Community Art
Art for Conservation: Handover Ceremony at the Lüderitz Maritime Museum
Waves of Change: A Conversation with Mayor Philip Palau of Lüderitz
Waves of Change Painting a Brighter Future in Lüderitz, Namibia
🎥✋ **Join the #NIMPAplus Movement!** 🌊🖌️
Meet Rejoice Steenkamp: A Young Voice for Change 🌊✨
Meet Allan Polman
Meet Anria Brandt
Meet the Team
These are the artists, organisers, and community members who made Waves of Change happen. Each person brought their own skills, passion, and creativity to the walls of Lüderitz.
Click on a photo to learn more about their role in the project.
Team not found
What people are saying?
“This artwork is more than a mural. It’s a message. It’s a movement.”
— Mayor of Lüderitz
“The murals helped us speak. Not just with words, but with colour.”
— Rejoice, participant
“Every brushstroke brought the science to life.”
— Sunny Imalwa, NNF
Join the Wave
Post your pics with the murals
Add your handprint
Use the hashtag #NIMPAPLUSLet’s spread the word, protect our oceans, and support the people doing the work.
Benguela Infinite Fisheries and Harvesting Association (BIFAH)
BIFAH is a local community association representing fishers and harvesters in the Benguela region. Members of BIFAH played an active role in the Waves of Change project, joining workshops, sharing local knowledge, and helping to bring the murals to life with their stories and creativity.