WINDHOEK- “During my time in the village, I was exposed to few things that later resulted in me desiring things, I had no business desiring as a child, and this later affected my choices as a young adult. I don’t have the best childhood memories, but they are not the worst either, I was provided with my basic needs such as shelter, food and education, and I’m grateful that I had an opportunity to go to school and understand the importance of education,” says Sesilia Nekwaya.

She always felt deprived of her early childhood love and nurturing. “I would probably say that I was raised in bitterness and harshness. I’m sure my primary school teachers are surprised about how my twin and I turned out to be,” she says. Apart from that, the most defining and life changing moments for Nekwaya was falling pregnant, losing her study bursary and dropping out of school during her second year of university, but she later went back to school and studied hard until she graduated. “I had made a few choices that led to my downfall, it was a humbling experience that taught me so much about life, about our thoughts and expectations and about the importance of having a strong foundation which is built on the Rock (Jesus Christ), because testing and trails will come,” says Nekwaya.

She adds that these experience have contributed to the strong woman she is today and she is thankful to God that she went through it.  “I’m actually really proud of myself, but I take no credit for any of it because it was prayers and faith that brought me to where I am today.” Her difficulty journey and life experiences also inspired her to write a book, titled The Process, in which she sums up her entire life story and wrote about how she overcame identity issues amidst challenges.

Growing up, Nekwaya had to endure a lot of rejection, mockery and poverty. After living her dad’s house some few years later, Nekwaya had to move in a two- bedroom house   in Ombili, Katutura with her five siblings and her mother. “My mom who is single, was the only breadwinner at home and she tried to provide for us and we could see that,” says Nekwaya, adding that it was then that she decided she wanted better for herself and her family. “I wanted to have everything, to be able to spoil my mom. I didn’t want a future that lacked. Also being exposed to the things of God, reading the Bible and God’s promises for us made me desire the best things,” says Nekwaya.  To add insult to injury, she also at the same time became a single mother.

She attended her primary school at Tobias Hainyeko and high school at Jan Jonker Afrikaner and finished her grade 12 at Hage Geingob High School. 

After completing her Grade 12 in 2009, Nekwaya went for further studies at the University of Namibia (Unam) where she graduated with an honours degree in Economics in 2015. She entered the corporate world in November 2014, there and then it became exciting because she was able to have an income to provide for her mother and siblings. “My advice to young people out there would be to seek God first in everything, get to know yourself, you’ll be surprised to discover what you are really capable of and thereafter believe in yourself, and be unapologetic to life. Don’t wait for people to notice or validate you before you can act because once that validation cease, you won’t have anything else to stand for. Do something substantial with your life and avoid dependency. Make an impact in life and become the best at whatever it is you do.”