Pinehas Nakaziko
Windhoek-The 22-year-old Petronela Namushinga was last week appointed as the new director of Monica Gender Violence Solution (MGVS) youth organisation.
The organisation was established in 2015 by Shaanika Nashilongo in response to the increase in gender-based violence, poverty and criminal activities among Namibian youth.
“My appointment as director came about when the former director Nashilongo’s three-year term ended this year, and the organisation committee then voted me to be the director,” says Namushinga.
She says being appointed is a privilege and a honour for her to be entrusted with the present and future of an organisation that seeks to attain social justice in the country. “It is a challenge – I am excited and ready to tackle issues, through working closely with my team and all communities,” she says.
As a small unified team, Namushinga says her role is to lead the organisation towards its vision through planning and execution, handle its day-to-day activities and manage community projects by engaging in services such as workshops and counselling that the organisation offers.
“We have all learned to be multi-skilled to be able to tackle different activities for the organisation,” she says.
The main aim of the MGVS is to fight and combat violence and engage in community development.
So far the organisation has recorded remarkable achievements such as restoration of peace by offering counselling to couples and individuals and resolving domestic conflicts in communities, and transfer of knowledge through workshops, seminars and social platforms.
“Schools have been visited to motivate and help pupils as well as recognise and award best performing learners in Windhoek, and we have distributed blankets and other helpful items to the less vulnerable and undertaken legal advocacy on behalf of our clients (victims of violence and crime), which cases have been won,” says Namushinga.
Her previous involvement in the organisation was being its secretary for the past three years, during which, she says, she saw to the administration of the organization but was not limited from other activities. She learned a lot from the position and acquired a lot of skills which are also going to help her successfully carry out her current role, she adds.
Namushinga says she grew up exposed to violence and her heart would always bleed at such. “I knew I wanted something totally different from violence. As a small child I was fascinated by stories of Mother Teresa. Her noble actions for peace made me believe that one person can really make a huge difference and bring about change,” she says, adding that she is therefore calling on every member of society to do their good part and contribute to ending violence in the country.