N/a’n ku sê’s vision is to play a pro-active role in nature conservation because they believe that we hold this invaluable heritage in our trust for future generations. “We cannot undo what has been done, but we can shape our future.”

They do not receive any government funding and are solely reliant on generous donations and the time of volunteers to continue their vital work to help the people and animals of Namibia.

Marlice

Marlice Elretha Jansen van Vuuren (néé van der Merwe) was born in 1976 in Namibia as the youngest of three children to parents who had a farm where injured or orphaned animals have found a refuge for more than 30 years. She grew up closely with the San Bushmen community and is one of only a handful of white people who can speak their language. In 2000 Marlice married Dr. Rudie Van Vuuren and today they are the proud parents of two little boys, Zacheo (5) and Nicklai (1).

Conservation Achievements  

Marlice and Rudi work together to preserve both African wildlife and the culture of Namibia’s original inhabitants, the San community. In 2003, along with their pharmacist friends Chris Heunis and Jan Verburg, they opened the N/a’an ku sê Lifeline Clinic at Epukiro, Namibia where the San Bushmen community can be treated free of charge. The clinic is entirely funded by voluntary donations and provides primary healthcare to over 3 500 patents per year in this remote area.

In 2004, Marlice and Rudie bought a 10,000 hectare piece of farmland, 42 km outside of Windhoek to establish their own animal reserve and named it N/a’an ku sê which means "God will protect us". The N/a’an ku sê Foundation opened in 2007 and runs four projects – a Wildlife Sanctuary and Carnivore Conservation Research project for African wildlife, and the Lifeline Clinic and Clever Cubs School for the local San Bushman community. They are joined by an enthusiastic and dedicated team of staff including over 30 Bushman and around 20 members of staff from Namibia and Europe. The Sanctuary provides a safe home to mostly orphan and injured animals that cannot be released safely back into the wild. These include baboons, African wild dogs, caracals, leopards, lions and cheetahs.

In December 2010, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie pledged a generous grant to N/a’an ku sê through their Jolie-Pitt Foundation. Through their foundation, Brad and Angelina are loyal supporters of N/a’an ku sê and share their commitment to conserving the land, cultures and wildlife of Namibia and believe passionately in what they are trying to achieve.

Filming Portfolio  

Marlice has been working with animals in film productions since the age of 13 and has worked on a number of television programmes and commercials, documentaries and movies with various celebrities including Angelina Jolie. 

In January 2009, N/a’an ku sê received a call from a farm in the East of Namibia who had caught a pair of cheetah cubs. The brother had been caught in a box trap but his sister had been caught using an archaic and potentially lethal steel jaw gin trap. Her foot was x-rayed and it was discovered that the ligaments had been torn and were pulled away from the bone; it would be impossible to save her foot. There was no choice but to amputate her whole back leg. The female cheetah came to be called Lucky for having lived through her barbaric capture. Marlice and the now famous three legged cheetah Lucky, was featured in an advert for a Volkswagen Golf, shown on South African TV in May 2009.