Sharon Tjimbundu made her TV debut in 2013. At that stage, she was not known for her great presenting skills but it was rather her beauty and presence at prestigious events that captured the public’s attention.
Over the years, Tjimbundu has come to be known as a social butterfly.
While many things may have been said about her over the years, either publicly or by way of rumour, Tjimbundu doesn’t pay much mind.
“It is the most bizarre and ugliest thing to do, be it deceptive or truthful. I don’t condone trolling and bullying at all,” she says.
“The mere fact that these things are never said directly to me gives me no reason to take it seriously. I just focus on what’s really important.”
The bold 22-year-old adds that whenever she experiences people talking negatively about her, she chooses to pray and surround herself with positive people who support her emotionally.
“You can really feed off their energy. Redirect your focus. Cut out any negativity. Remind yourself of all the greatness that has been in your life and that it does not end here.”
Through it all, Tjimbundu refers to herself as a kind and passionate person.
“Honestly, I don’t have a social personality. I am what they call an ambivert.”
She grew up in Windhoek with her mother’s youngest sister and grandmother. Tjimbundu says she did not grow up in luxury, but was fortunate to be surrounded by emotional support and love.
“I never felt like I really lacked anything until I started being among other children who had what I did not. It was hard for me, but it taught me to be a hustler. I learnt that if you want something, you need to make it possible for yourself. No one is going to do it for you.”
Ever since she was a little girl, she’s always dreamed of becoming a TV personality. “I did not really understand the depth of the media world. I used to watch shows like ‘Kideo’ and ‘Frenzy Special’, which I found fascinating. My mother thought I was just going through a phase.”
As Tjimbundu nurtured her passion for TV presenting, she grew determined to make a success out of her future.
“When I was in Grade 11, I was a co-host for the programme ‘School Grounds’, which aired on the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). In 2016, I finally managed to make my mark on the ‘Sports News’ programme. The year after that, I auditioned for another programme called ‘Soccer Pitch’. I was a social media interactive presenter for about two years. I am still working on ‘Sport News’,” she says.
Her big highlight in the industry came just a couple of weeks ago when she scooped the best TV personality award at the 2019 Simply You Magazine Lifestyle and Fashion Awards (SYMLAFA).
Tjimbundu believes winning the award is important because it gives winners and nominees the recognition they need to penetrate the entertainment industry.
“I am honoured at winning. I was honestly already satisfied being nominated because it showed a level of recognition. However, winning totally blew me away.”
The Windhoek-born presenter recently added another milestone to her career – launching her own YouTube channel, a move she says she’s wanted to do for a long time.
“Over the years, I have been studying the YouTube community. I was not sure if I was ready or if my content would be something that people would actually be interested in.”
But she finally took the leap. Her channel consists of content about beauty, lifestyle and other aspects.
“It’s a way for me to be more interactive with my followers and invite them into my world filled with the things I like. It’s also a way of taking my talent to YouTube. We all know that opportunities are scarce in Namibia so what better way to create a platform for myself? The channel is doing much better than I expected. The feedback has been so great,” she says.
Tjimbundu believes the TV presenting industry in Namibia is underrated and often overlooked. She says more platforms and jobs need to be created. As a media student at the College of the Arts, what she enjoys most about the industry is always learning new things and meeting interesting people. However, she is quick to point out that it’s definitely not as easy as many people think.
“You must also learn. You can’t be a presenter with no knowledge of the information you are putting out. It is more than just being on TV, it’s the hard work of studying. You also have to build confidence to speak publicly.”
Sharing some advice, Tjimbundu says women must take care of themselves.
“When I look good, I feel good. I feel like I am well-presented and it gives me a confidence boost. My personal style is not normally what the next person would like, so everyone should dress in a way that makes them feel their best. Just slay all the way.”
Food: Lamb chops, oxtail and pasta
Book: ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’
Dream holiday destination: Greece
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