Victoria Haihambo of the Pally Creative Empowerment Foundation has been announced as a finalist for the 2026 Women Changing the World Awards.
The Women Changing the World Awards celebrate and recognise women achieving outstanding success in areas such as sustainability, humanitarian work, leadership, advocacy, environmental, tech, product development, education, health and innovation.
The awards not only celebrate individual accomplishments but also seek to inspire others to create change in their local communities and beyond.
Haihambo is a Namibian tech entrepreneur, author and community leader. She is the founder of Agelvipa, a digital marketing platform supporting MSMEs, and the Pally Creative Empowerment Foundation, which empowers entrepreneurs, writers and innovators through mentorship, training and development programmes. She is also the co-founder of the African Authors Recognition Awards, a platform that promotes African storytelling and intellectual property.
Haihambo told Vibez that her work is centred on creating opportunities for people, especially those in underserved communities, by helping them access digital markets, build sustainable businesses, and bring their ideas to life.
“I am also passionate about promoting African storytelling, which led to the co-founding of the African Authors Recognition Awards,” she added.
She further stressed that being selected as a finalist for the Women Changing the World Awards is truly an honour. “It is as also strong recognition of the work we are doing, not only as an individual, but as a foundation and community.” She added that this award will amplify my work globally and make the work that we do at the Pally Creative Empowerment Foundation more visible to the international community.
“Being chosen as a finalist among many nominees is already a significant achievement. It opens doors for collaboration, partnerships, and potential funding, which will allow us to expand our impact and continue supporting communities in Namibia,” she said.
Haihambo said she believes that one should start with what they have and focus on making an impact in their community. “You do not have to wait for perfect conditions to make a difference. What matters is taking action, building gradually, and allowing your work to speak for itself,” she stated.
Haihambo further emphasised that this work is important because it focuses on creating real opportunities for people in underserved communities.
Through her work, she is helping entrepreneurs access digital markets, supporting authors to publish their work, and building confidence among young innovators.
Her approach combines entrepreneurship, mentorship, and digital inclusion to create sustainable impact. The vision for these awards is to empower women everywhere and call women across the globe to unite and pave the way towards a better future for all.
The winners of the 2026 Women Changing the World Awards will be announced in Paris on 22 April 2026.