“Before joining the club, I was shy, felt I did not have a place to go to where I would feel at home, also a lot of kids at school were bullying me before, but when I told them I had joined the club, they stopped bullying.” 

These were sentiments from Karrah Freyer, a 14-year-old Dojo student at Rehoboth Kickboxing Club, sharing the impact the club has had on her life since he became part of it.

The Rehoboth Kickboxing Club was formed out of Walter Philander’s deep love for kickboxing and unwavering belief in its power to transform people’s lives. Philander’s journey back into the sport discipline dates to when his own two sons took up the sport in the coastal town of Swakopmund, which reignited the passion he once had for kickboxing. 

In 2021, at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Philander opened a small dojo in his hometown, Rehoboth, where he had two students, training with him for five months without charging any fees. “I crossed paths with a man of god who told me to rather open shop at Mariental than stay in my hometown,” he recalled. 

With his determination and the zeal to change his society, he began making the long trips between Mariental and Rehoboth, often hiking early in the morning and returning late at night. He knew no one in Mariental, sometimes spending hours walking or waiting for classes to start before making the journey back home.

After months of perseverance, he met a woman from the community of Mariental, whom he referred to as “The Women of God” who invited him and his family to relocate to the town of Mariental, despite him not having a steady job with six students. The act of kindness from the Women of God laid a foundation for a thriving kickboxing community in Mariental, one that would eventually allow Philander to return to Rehoboth and open the RCFA Rehoboth Kickboxing Club.

For years, the town’s youth have had few positive spaces or entertainment areas to occupy their time. With limited recreation centres, sport facilities, and recreational programs, many young boys and girls found themselves idle after school. Roaming around the streets with less to do. 

The absence of recreation centres has left many vulnerable and lured into engaging in alcohol and drug abuse, street violence, and other petty crime, which has become a huge trend amongst the town’s teenagers.

“It was heartbreaking to see so many children lose their way simply because there were no opportunities for them to grow,” shared one concerned parent. The community watched in frustration as the town’s youth battled insecurities, low self-esteem, and the constant threat of negative influences.

Just when the community was searching for real answers to the concerning problem, Rehoboth kickboxing club opened its doors and not only did they offer sport but a structured way from the streets. 

One story is that of a young Keenan Benz, who admitted that he was on the brink of dropping out of school before joining the club. “I was a little bit shy, but right now I am not. And I have gained confidence in myself. I used to get bullied at school to a level that I would miss out on classes, but now I can stand for myself,” said Benz. 

Recently, the scenes of the town of Rehoboth tell a different story. Instead of going about their day idly, a lot of youngsters can now be found gathered at the Rehoboth Kickboxing Club, lacing up gloves and training. A place where discipline and self-belief is found.

Driving transformation is his passion, and according to Sensei Philander, he hopes to inspire the nation with this initiative, and he hopes to open up dojos across the nation.

“My vision is to create instructors, open dojos across Namibia, and build leaders who can help change lives,” Philander says with determination. He believes the key to sustaining such growth lies in strong community backing. “It’s very important to have the community’s support, they are the ones who help our clubs through fundraising and events. Because of the Mariental community’s support, my club grew so big that I was able to return to Rehoboth and open the RCFA Rehoboth Kickboxing Club,” said Philander. 

-mkambukwe@nepc.com.na