KATIMA MULILO – In the quiet village of Makanga in the Zambezi region, 30-year-old Bupilo Dihutu is scripting a new chapter of resilience.
Once a proud member of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF), his life took an unexpected turn in 2017 when he was diagnosed with leprosy, ultimately costing him his career.
Today, Dihutu is no longer a soldier on the battlefield, but a warrior in his own right.
He is determined to rebuild his life through education.
Unexpected battle
Dihutu has always been a man of strength.
As a soldier, he thrived in the demanding environment of the NDF.
But something began to change.
He noticed numbness in his hands and feet, a creeping sensation that something was wrong.
His skin developed blisters, especially when exposed to heat.
Welding, a skill he once mastered, became impossible.
“When you experience heat, the blisters just keep getting worse,” Dihutu recalled. “I used to be a good welder, but now I must stay away from heat-related jobs,” he added. In 2017, doctors confirmed what he never expected – leprosy. His world shifted in an instant. In 2019, after serving nearly three years in the military, he was boarded medically, and eventually discharged.
The life he had known was gone.
“I went to a private doctor, who diagnosed me with leprosy. He advised me to go to the State hospital, where I was put on medication for one year. I only took medication for two months, and then I defaulted. I thought maybe it’s another sickness, so I went to consult traditional healers, but the sickness was just getting worse. This resulted in me having disabilities in my hands,” Dihutu narrated. He then decided to go back to the State hospital, and was enrolled back on medication. He will successfully complete his medication this April.
New mission: education
For many, such a diagnosis would have been the end, but not for Dihutu.
Instead of succumbing to despair, he chose to fight back in a different way – by pursuing education.
In 2024, he enrolled at the Namibia College of Open Learning, determined to improve his grade 12 results.
“I have 27 points, but I want to improve and add more,” he said with determination.
“I plan to further my studies and do nursing,” he revealed. The decision is shaped by his personal experience with illness. He knows what it is like to battle a disease which isolates and robs people of their abilities. Now, he dreams of standing on the other side – helping others, offering care and proving that life after leprosy is not just possible, but purposeful.
Challenges and triumphs
Living with leprosy has not been easy.
The disease has affected his ability to feel pain – a dangerous reality for someone navigating daily life.
“You see patients walking normally, but inside, they have deep wounds. They don’t feel pain,” Dihutu said.
“It’s the same for me. I can just walk, but my legs still feel numb,” he added. Despite this, he remains hopeful.
He is a husband and a father of a three-year-old son, roles which drive him forward.
“I have a family to take care of. I must keep going,” he remarked. Dihutu’s story is not just about survival.
It is about choosing to fight back.
He wants young people, especially those facing hardships, to understand that one setback does not define their future.
“You might face challenges, but don’t give up. Find another way. If one door closes, open another,” he motivated. From a soldier to a student, from a welder to an aspiring nurse, his journey is proof that resilience, courage and determination can transform even the toughest battles into victories.