Valentine Ipawa Kasoma has risen to become a Pan-African Youth Leadership Programme alumni for 2019 as well as the branch secretary for political and internal affairs for the Namibian National Students Organisation at her school, Namib High at Swakopmund.
She is also the co-founder of EcoPads Namibia, which puts an emphasis on donating affordable, quality and disposable sanitary pads to young girls around the country. This is the world through her eyes.
The Journey in Africa
“It all began on 29 April this year. I got to the capital from home, Rundu, to embark on my journey to the United States. This had me doubting whether I would be able to look after myself far away from home and my family and friends. I was going overseas for the first time ever, besides being in South Africa and Angola prior.
“I calmed myself down; I was going to be OK as I had four of my country mates, namely Rehabeam Nakanyala, Rachel Mbokoma, Justin Brandt and Heinh Benhke, as well as our mentor Ursula Matzopolous who assured me that I was going to feel at home.
“At around 15h00, we had to collect our documents from the United States embassy and minutes later, we headed to Hosea Kutako International Airport. Upon arrival, we waited for our boarding passes. I was still frightened that we had to take three different flights to get to our destination – Atlanta, Georgia. I am afraid of heights and wasn’t ready.
“The time finally came – we got our boarding passes, had our luggage cling-wrapped and instantly headed into a British Airways aircraft. Two hours later, we arrived at OR Tambo airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, and because I was separated from my team on the plane, I got a chance to engage with them on the experience as we awaited our next flight.”
Overseas Experience
“It was like a four-hour break until we continued to Heathrow in London. After 16 hours of sitting down, we arrived at 02h00 and went around the airport but soon enough, it was time to depart to Atlanta. We then got picked up by a van which took us to a hotel called the Hyatt where we slept for two nights.
“Further into the journey, we met fellow African participants with their mentors from 18 countries. In the United States, the time was different and it was cold. Because the first morning was a Sunday, we went to Ebenezer Baptist Church where we had the opportunity to meet Martin Luther King Junior’s older sister.
“After we got into the old church, the pastor preached and we were offered lunch by the congregation. We then headed straight to the hotel to commence with the programme orientation. We were split by cities and country allocation. Namibia was allocated to Vermont state together with Uganda, Tanzania and Liberia, under the supervision of Vincent Pierce from the Vermont World Council Affairs. After the entire Vermont experience, being coached with leadership skills and society work, I intend to foster women’s empowerment.”
Long-Term Goals and Other Activities
“The vision is to donate sanitary items through the assistance of our life skills teachers and distribute them to disadvantaged girls countrywide. So far, my team has started an organisation called EcoPads Namibia, which is working on donating reusable sanitary wear to Mount View High School in Babylon. We feel there’s a high level of absenteeism and poor sanitation due to the lack of sanitary wear for girls in the school.
“It is to my advantage that I am a head girl of my school so I initiated a girls club where, on a weekly basis, we host campaigns by selling little treats to assist our life skill teacher in distributing toiletries to the disadvantaged girls at schools as well as donating to needy.
“We have also partnered with the Forum for African Women Educationalists Namibia and other schools in the region to build a strong foundation focused on eliminating inequalities between the girl and boy child as well uphold the rights and give a helping hand to the girl child.
“I use my leadership positions to further fight for the rights of pupils at my school and influence many others in society to offer a helping hand to those in dire need of it.”
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