Ina-Maria Shikongo was born in Kalulu Angola and grew up in the former GDR until 1990. She attended primary school and high school in Windhoek. She completed a 3 year degree course in Fashion Design in France at Lycée Sévigné de Tourcoing in 2005.
Since her return in 2005, she has developed a project called Fusion, where she teaches basic introduction to fashion design at grass roots level around Namibia. There is a need for more culturally diverse programs throughout Namibia. By training the grassroots on design methods, one could help establish a Namibian Cultural Identity.
Her interest in Permaculture started in 2010 and reemerged in 2015, with the creation of Eloolo Permaculture Initiative, together with Donovan Wagner and Stephan Eins. A permaculture system was created at the Van Ryhn Primary School and in 2017 they registered Eloolo Permaculture Initiative as an NGO.
Today Eloolo is working in partnership with the World Future Council and the City of Windhoek at Farm Okukukuna in implementing a community garden with local trainees from Goreagab extension 3.
Eloolo and Tosco have created Clean Travel; a carbon offsetting programme where trees get planted at schools and shelters around Windhoek.
Shikongo’s participation in Live or Buy is supported by The National Arts Council of Namibia.
