To find more potential lifesavers, Matches on the Map – our stem cell recruitment drive – is making its way through Namibia. Getting there delivered unforgettable roads, places and people. By Robin and Jolandie Lewis

We spent much of the summer on a farm near Piketberg doing repairs and upgrades to our truck, Betsy, before heading on. Our next destination: Namibia. Our goal: To spread awareness of the lifesaving power of stell cell donations through our Matches on the Map initiative. 

Also read: Matches on the Map: Overlanding for 10 years

With Namibia and Angola coming up, we DIY-ed an old extension cord reel into an easily accessible tyre inflate/deflate hose storage. We gave our full attention to leaks in the roof and tank, installed insect screens and made several other upgrades. Every now and then our Tracks4Africa Atlas reminded us to get focused. The roads that follow would be difficult and unforgiving, but would offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences. In late February, farm life came to an end and Matches on the Map kicked off again.

Awe-inspiring Augrabies

We couldn’t head to Namibia without seeing Augrabies Falls National Park on the way up. The day heated up quickly and the sun seemed unkind in this arid area. We stepped up to the falls, a 60m free-fall of natural power. In flood season, this spot gets more than three times the average high season flow rate of Niagara Falls. We were there in the dry season – a good time to get perspective on how much water that actually is! But the sun was climbing and we still had to traverse the rugged road to Riemvasmaak. 

Tracks4Africa says: After high volumes of rain in summer 2025, sluices on the Vaal Dam have been opened. A lot of water  is flowing into the Orange River, which will transform Augrabies Falls into a spectacle in April. Follow Augrabies Falls National Park on Facebook for updates.

Riemvasmaak, a new favourite

 There are two routes to get to this bolthole, but we chose the challenge, following our route on the Tracks4Africa Guide App to not get lost. Betsy was up for it and crawled through a mind-boggling landscape of boulders and rocky ridges. This road is truly amazing and we can recommend it to any off-road enthusiast. We were the only campers and had this mountain desert wilderness, nestled among giant granite cliffs, all to ourselves. The water was perfect and the birdlife abundant. We lit a fire and stared at the stars. You can’t miss waking up early morning in this spiritual space. If you’re going that way, get into contact with this community-run campsite. A worthy spot and R265 very well spent!

Also read: Relaxing at the remote oasis of Riemvasmaak

Signing up lifesavers in Upington 

Upington, our last recruitment stop in sunny South Africa, was an awesome opportunity for Matches on the Map to swab some potential lifesavers. We were told to get in contact with Upington Toyota and Elsabé Gresse, the dealer principal. We soon found out that our cause meant more to Elsabe than most – her sister was getting prepped for transplant on the other side of the ocean. She immediately took charge, picked out the perfect spot and set a goal of adding 100 new potential donors to the South African Bone Marrow Registry. From experience, we knew that this was a very optimistic number as almost half of those who approach are usually excluded by either age or general medical conditions. But Upington didn’t disappoint and we signed up 100 potential donors.

A scenic entry into Namibia

After chatting with some locals, we learned that the Nakop border post was one of the busier entries into Namibia. So when we got an invite from Red Rock River Camp, located near the Onseepkans border crossing, we decided to take the road less travelled. We hit dirt about 20km before reaching Onseepkans – the road was a slight bit bumpy, but definitely doable. 

The next day the proud South African border officials sent us over the bridge onto a scenic road into Namibia. The lonely stretch of sand delivered 101km of the best dirt road conditions we’ve seen. No teeth-rattling corrugations and we saw wildlife within the first 500m!

The spectacular Fish River Canyon

If you ever find yourself looking at a roadside signboard pointing you towards Africa’s largest canyon, don’t think, just do! Following our Tracks4Africa Guide App, the dusty but silky smooth C12 road glided Betsy towards the Fish River Canyon. Our first glance got us wordlessly putting our arms in the air as we couldn’t believe the sight we were seeing.

We had the privilege of seeing the sun set before an approaching storm pushed us back to the Canyon Roadhouse campsite. Their vintage car collection, memorabilia and friendly staff made this a unique stopover. 

As with most larger establishments, they send their used oil in for recycling, but sponsored us with 40L (120km) of this precious resource. We run Betsy on used cooking oil to save costs. She starts a trip off on diesel for the first 15 minutes until her engine heats up. By diverting the hot coolant, we can heat the cooking oil and lower the viscosity. A centrifuge spins out any sediment before the oil passes through filters. Although we still have diesel costs, this self-built system has given us more than 10,000km of free fuel.

A good start in Keetmanshoop

With some sights seen, it was time to get serious and get to Keetmanshoop, our first recruitment town in Namibia. While waiting for responses from community members, businesses and schools, we decided to head over to the Mesosaurus Fossil Camp. We got to explore the remnants of forgotten times at a campsite set amongst thousands of quiver trees and dolerite rock formations. The first fossil on the farm was discovered through curiosity. After Hendrik, the farm owner’s son noticed peculiar markings on some slate, he cracked it open. It revealed a Mesosaurus, an extinct reptile, around 1m in length with webbed feet and a long tail. 

In Keetmanshoop we recruited potential donors at a bank, a supermarket, an agricultural store, a butchery and a school. (You can donate from the age of 16.) Two local doctors, Dr Adri and Dr Leon Coetzee offered to act as a stem cell donor signup station going forward. Ethnicity plays a vital role in matching a donor to a patient and our hope for Namibia is to sign up diverse potential stem cell donors. 

We’ve lived on the road for over a year and a half now. In that time, we’ve set up more than 65 recruitment drives, given more than 50 educational talks and signed up close to 1,000 lifesavers. One life-saving match was identified in November 2024 and went on to donate!

Keep up with the Matches on the Map initiative by following @numinous_expeditions on Instagram or watching the Numinous Expeditions videos on YouTube.

Good to know

If you are South African and not yet registered as a potential stem cell donor, you can sign up online with the SA Bone Marrow Registry. You could be someone’s ONLY match. If you are matched with a patient, the donation process is non-invasive and can be compared to a blood donation.