MY beloved readers, sources and friends from Windhoek I am hereby acknowledging your support, sincere and love you have devoted to me through my tenure that I have worked in Windhoek as a dedicated community journalist.
Before I go into detail I would like to share my memorable experiences working in Windhoek as a journo.
I got to know various people from town, informal settlements and even those scavengers at the dumpsite (LOL) when I was looking for developmental and rather exclusive stories.
I came across people with different personas some of them aggressive and others friendly in providing the information.
My designation as a community journalist has exposed me to informal settlements such as Havana, Okuryangava, Hakahana, Wanaheda and Greenwell Matongo because that is where most of the community stories could be sourced.
It was not an easy assignment to do community stories and write all those stories especially end of the month because many of those people were imbibing and did not want to be bothered.
Anyway I started making friends with the honourable councillors especially the one of Moses //Garoeb and Tobias Hainyeko just to make my work easier because I know if I did not produce a community story that day, I will have no explanation to our editor Chrispin Inambao.
I know I am going to miss the Head Office especially our Editor and my helpful colleague Albertina Nakale whom most of you know and think she is my “mom” because we were always together either in Windhoek or worked as a team to get stories.
Working with Albertina Nakale and Chrispin Inambao was a joy and privilege because I learned a lot from them since I am still learning the tricks of this deadline driven trade.
All I will say for now is to thank God for letting me meet with these peaceful people that showed me a journey of becoming a productive and successful journo.
I cannot imagine working in a newsroom without ‘Tina’ and Chris. When my Editor called my name everyday it made me stronger and work harder because at least it showed me the confidence he has in me when it comes to community stories.
Coming to my “mom” Tina, if she happened to go in the field without me I always felt lonely and vulnerable because no one was keen to take me to stories since I did not have a driver’s licence in the early days of my employment.
Tina and my good lovely colleague the late Paulus Paulus always used to tease me that I don’t have a driver’s licence and that encouraged me to work harder until I finally got one.
I remember the day she followed me to the driving school just to see my first day behind the wheel – I was very shy but I drove well that day just to impress her with my newly acquired skill.
I know I will Miss Tina, Chrispin and the entire newsroom – it is a challenge for me to go work in a new environment.
I know most of you can’t wait to know where exactly I am moving to but unfortunately I am not going to tell you now because you are going to call me a newcomer, but for your own information I am still a journo.
Apart from Tina and Chrispin who always put me at ease I will always remember my good former colleague John Ekongo who I sat next to the first day I joined New Era as an intern in 2010.
John Ekongo was a very good journo, he trained me but it was very tough. If your intro of the story does not make any sense he will highlight the whole story and delete it purposely just for you to start all over again and write a proper intro.
Coming to taking proper pictures, I always relied on Uncle Fifi Rhodes who was always on hand to drive me around to Katutura for community stories especially shack fires that frequently occurred in informal settlements.
Let me not forget Uncle Deon Schlecter, Jemima Beukes, Selma Neshiko, Desie Heita, Otniel Hembapu, Alvine Kapitako, Carlos “CK” Kambaekwa, Roland Routh, Asino Tunomukwathi, Magreth Nunuhe, Edgar Brand and my pal Lorraine Kazondovi.
You guys are the reason why I was always smiling in the newsroom – of course I am going to miss you so much. I will extremely miss you all. Keep up the good work!
Eewa
BY Loide Jason