2018-01-31Staff Report 2 Pinehas Nakaziko Windhoek-Twenty-six-year-old Panduleni Nghipandulwa, a former learner at Delta Secondary School, has started a development and mentorship programme, an initiative with which he is targeting to speak to and inspire 50,000 learners across the country. Nghipandulwa who graduated from the University of Cape Town in the field of International Relations, Politics and Philosophy three years ago, says the programme also aims to instil leadership values, discipline and work ethics among learners. “I realised that the youth are performing poorly in the national examinations, and there is an urgent need for extra tutoring,” says Nghipandulwa adding that most learners from disadvantaged backgrounds also cannot afford to pay for private tutors, hence his plan is to provide this service for free and give each learner an equal opportunity to succeed in life. “Through this programme, learners will learn various leadership skills, self-discipline and the value of hard work. Our plan is also to help the learners to prepare for exams, build young leaders with character and to equip the learners with the skills required to succeed on the local job market,” explains Nghipandulwa. He adds that the programme started earlier this year visiting different schools especially in Windhoek, addressing key issues that learners are facing on a daily basis. He hopes to visit schools around the country. “The second part of the programme is to mentor up to 100 grade 10 and 12 learners. The basic idea is to get them together at least once a month to help them with subjects they might be struggling with at school, teach them leadership and basic skills required in the work environment.” Last week, Nghipandulwa spoke to learners at Amazing Kids Private School. “The topic of the day was The Power of the Mind. The message was loud and clear, what the mind conceives in the spiritual always manifests into the physical,” he says. He says the next two schools on their agenda are Eldorado Secondary School and Windhoek High School, on dates still to be announced. Apart from being a mentor, Nghipandulwa is also an entrepreneur by profession and he is also involved in various community development projects. “Some of the community development projects include speaking at various public platforms like the Namibia Careers Expo and Social Splash, addressing learners at various schools, as well as arranging workshops and presentations”. 2018-01-31Staff Report 2
