Memorial for Jane Katjavivi

The whole of CCF is mourning the loss of a great friend, Founding Board Member (1992) and Vice Chair of CCF in Namibia. Jane Katjavivi was an amazing woman and dear friend to me and many of our staff at the Centre. She played a positive and supportive role as the driving force on our Board, she was a champion for wildlife and the environment – especially the cheetah. Together with her husband of over 40 years, Professor Peter Katjavivi, a diplomat, Namibia’s speaker of the National Assembly, and CCF’s International Patron, Jane was most interested in CCF’s efforts to help the farming community of Namibia. They actively supported and promoted our Livestock Guarding Dog program since 1999.

She was a writer, editor and publisher, heading the publishing unit of the University of Namibia (UNAM), one of the most prominent universities in Namibia and where a great many of CCF’s interns complete their undergraduate and graduate studies. Currently, one of their grandchildren is completing her internship with us and working towards an honors degree in Ecology and Geographic Information System (GIS) from UNAM.

Over the years, we have had the great pleasure of hosting Jane and Peter at our Field Centre in Otjiwarongo, Namibia numerous times. The two were rarely ever apart and their visits were always highly anticipated. Dr. Brewer and I loved sharing the progress of our programs and animals with them as we all shared in the beautiful views from the veranda of the Babson House or at a sundowner drive out onto CCF’s Little Serengeti. They were always so interested in everything our staff and students were working on.

Jane appreciated the wild beauty of this magnificent country. She appreciated everything we were doing to help save the cheetah and its ecosystem and she enjoyed helping us to make plans for our next accomplishments. Jane served Namibia in so many ways, too many to communicate here. To say her presence will be missed is an understatement. On behalf of everyone here at CCF, we are grieving along with the Katjavivi family – Peter, their children and grandkids. We are sending them our love and prayers during this difficult time.