Efraim Ranjeni
Philemon Rengi has seen how his parents worked hard to send him to school with a passion for education that is unmatched. “Today, when I look back, I’m so proud of my parents for emphasising the need for education. We shall not see bigger and better progress in our communities if we do not take education seriously,” said Rengi, who recently launched his first novel.
The 33-year-old told Youth Corner that the social challenges of this generation, complemented
by the essence and relevance of education, have drawn him into literature and ultimately to author ‘Hope in broken dreams’.
The situation in his rural home village of Katope near Nkurenkuru compelled him to pen the literary book. Teenage pregnancy, early sexual relationships, peer pressure, parental roles, and teacher-learner relationships, amongst others, are some elements that ferment the major theme of his book.
The 56-page book narrates a story of a young Makena who, from the outset, demonstrated determination in her dream to become a medical
doctor. As the plot unfolds, Makena graduates to high school, where the wheels of good character fall off.
Asked what his purpose is with the story, Rengi said the book is a campaign against issues affecting teenagers, the role of parents in the lives of their children, and teachers’ roles in their learners’ lives. “Children, learners and youth at large should all be aware of the consequences of their decisions in their lives. The rate of teenage pregnancies in the country is a derailing gesture and, in the end, poverty is purposefully manufactured,” he stressed.
Rengi added that the situation the Namibian youth are currently faced with is ‘dire’, where they have no interest in education and they are hooked on dangerous activities such as drugs.
Speaking at the launch, deputy minister of education Faustina Caley said for too long have African stories been told by outsiders. Caley argued that this deprives readers of the true picture and magnitude the continent and Namibia in particular face.
“You will not see it the way you experience it. The book is fiction, but Rengi knows the people’s experiences and challenges first-hand,” she noted. Rengi added that young people have the necessary capacity to run their life affairs; all they need is energy to be harnessed and channelled in a direction free from social challenges, especially females.
“I always say, ‘those with dreams live for a purpose, and with purpose comes hope’. Start dreaming now, it’s never late. Nobody should believe in you, they are not God.”