UNAM

14 Year Old 

Boy 

Admitted to 

UNAM

CONTENTS 

TABLE OF 

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR ____________________________ PAGE 2 

COVER STORY ________________________________________ PAGE 3 

FOCUS ON YOUR CAREER______________________________ PAGE 4 

NSFAF CARDS_________________________________________ PAGE 5 

SINGLE quarters COMING TO UNAM ________________ PAGE 6 

AN ARCHITECTURAL WONDER _______________________ PAGE 7 

CAMPUS CRUSADE ___________________________________ PAGE 8 

NEVER GIVE UP ______________________________________ PAGE 9 

ACOHOL ABUSE ______________________________________ PAGE 10 

THE BEAUTY OF NATURAL HAIR _______________________ PAGE 11 

PROCRASTINATION ___________________________________ PAGE 12 

STRIVE AND THRIVE FROM YEAR ONE __________________ PAGE 13 

CHEERS TO SELF-LOYAL YEAR __________________________ PAGE 14 

CAMPUS LOCK DOWN _________________________________ PAGE 15 

UNAM HOSTELS' POOR CONDITION WORSENS___________ PAGE 16 

PICTURE THIS THOUGHT______________________________ PAGE 17 

Social Media________________________________________ PAGE 18 

UNAM STAFF TAKE ON MORE___________________________ PAGE 19 

News from UNAM Campuses_________________________ PAGE 20 

Sport ________________________________________________ PAGE 22 

AUNTY KNOWS BEST__________________________________ PAGE 24 

PUZZLES _____________________________________________ PAGE 26 

Cartoon ____________________________________________ PAGE 28 

UNAM ECHO IS THE TRAINING 

PUBLICATION OF THE MEDIA 

SECTION, DEPARTMENT 

OF INFORMATION AND 

COMMUNICATION STUDIES, 

UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA. 

EDITORIAL ADVISERS: 

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DR FRED MWILIMA 

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By: Eveline Indongo 

NOTE FROM THE 

EDITOR 

Greetings readers, HAPPY 2016 and a 

warm welcome to yet another exciting 

edition of UNAM Echo. Thank you for the 

love and support you showed us in 2015. We 

are excited to bring you BIGGER, BETTER 

and JUICIER stories throughout this year. 

We’ll strive for offerings and stories that 

help students live their lives with optimism 

and hope. In this issue’s cover, we feature 

the youngest UNAM student from Malawi, 

Brave Chibaka, who is only 14-years-old 

and has already started attending his preengineering 

classes at UNAM Main campus. 

He has been the talk of the University as 

well as the country at large. Don’t miss out 

on your chance to be inspired by this young 

man’s story. 

Be sure to read the entertaining and 

inspirational stories as well as the one 

focusing on alcohol and how to avoid alcohol 

abuse and the issues it raises: Is it better to 

drink alone than in the company of peers? 

Is it important to have a limit when it comes 

to alcohol intake? When is enough really 

enough when it comes to alcohol? Curious, I 

know! All this questions will be answered in 

our Coffee Pot section. 

It hasn’t been a walk in the park to come 

up with this edition, as we are all new 

players but dedication and hard work has 

made it possible. So, a round of applause 

to my wonderful team for making this 

edition possible and to our editorial adviser, 

Professor Eno Akpabio; thank you for this 

experience. 

As always, we welcome comments about 

your favourite UNAM Echo. You can 

contact me on my email address: elisabeth. 

massamba@hotmail.com. 

Interact with us on social media: Facebook 

page, twitter handle and follow us on 

Instagram. Enjoy the edition. God bless. 

Chief Editor: Elizabeth Massamba 

14-year-old gains admission into UNAM 

While most African kids are completing their primary 

school and nervously anticipating how secondary 

school is going to be like, at fourteen years of age, 

Brave Chibaka from Malawi is pursuing his dream of becoming 

a Civil Engineer at the University of Namibia. 

Brave who was born in Lilongwe, Malawi, was the cynosure 

of all eyes at the University last month when he showed up 

to register for Civil Engineering. “I was very excited to come 

to Namibia with my Dad,” said Brave who is named after his 

Father, Brave Chibaka, a Civil Engineer. He said friends and 

family mostly call him Junior. 

Brave started school at the age of four at Walani Private School 

in Malawi. At the age of 10, he gained admission to a boarding 

school - St John Catholic secondary School - where he did his 

grade nine to 12. 

The bright and smart student is the eldest of Brave and Sophie 

Chibaka’s all male children aged 14, 13 and 10. Brave described 

his childhood as normal because his days are like those of a 

usual 14 year old: “I love playing with my brothers, especially at 

weekends”. 

Going to secondary school at the age of 10 wasn’t scary, stated 

junior; he was rather excited because he knew his dream of 

getting his degree before the age of 20 was getting closer to 

being realized. “My age was not a problem at secondary school 

because I was not the youngest,” Brave said. “There were four 

other kids that were younger than me.” 

Brave is of the view that there is nothing special about him as 

he is just like everyone else. He is also not intimidated or scared 

of studying or of the workload at the university level. He loves 

reading, and his favourite subjects in secondary school were 

Mathematics, Physical Science, Biology and Agriculture. 

When asked about what inspired him to come study in Namibia, 

he said “nothing really, my dad just told me that I will be going 

to Namibia with him”. All he wants is to be a Civil Engineer 

like his dad; where to study was never really a concern. 

The registration process was “cool” as he put it. He said that 

the people working at registration were shocked when they 

found out his age but to his amazement everyone was very 

helpful. He described Windhoek as a very nice town and he 

is enjoying his stay so far; everyone he has come across is and 

was very friendly towards him. He, however, says that Namibia 

is very hot, especially the northern part of the county, that he 

visited earlier this year. 

"All he wants is to be a Civil 

Engineer like his father.. " 

Brave doesn’t have any specific study technique. He said that 

he starts his day very early. He gets up at 4am on week days, 

first thing he does is read through the previous day’s work, 

take a bath, have breakfast then off to classes. 

One can clearly see that life gives you back the effort you 

put into it. This young and determined teen puts his all in 

whatever life throws at him. It all has to do with determination 

and hard work. Let this be an inspiration to all. Use what 

you carry in your bag of life wisely for profitable and more 

rewarding returns. 

Page 2 | | Page 3

By: Konstansia Elago 

NSFAF launches 

card for loan 

beneficiaries 

By: Matheus Michael and Vilho Hangula 

The Namibian Student Financial Assistance 

Fund (NSFAF) in conjunction with Nam-mic 

and Bank Windhoek have launched NSFAF 

Cards for loan beneficiaries. The new system will 

stop the incidence of students getting refunds at 

the end of the year, according to NSFAF’s Chief 

Executive Officer (CEO), Hilya Nghiwete. 

Focus 

on 

your 

studies 

-Vice Chancellor 

The University of Namibia Vice Chancellor, Prof Lazarus 

Hangula, urged students to stay focused and study hard to 

realize their dreams. Hangula made these remarks at the 2016 

commencement ceremony. 

In his speech read by the acting Vice Chancellor, Prof Kenneth 

Matengu, Hangula advised students to make use of the unique 

opportunities afforded by the University, and, to consult lecturers on 

their study needs and, most importantly, build positive ties with fellow 

students. He added that management would always be ready to listen 

to the needs of the students. 

“Study hard from day one”, said Hangula while warning students to 

desist from locking down any part of the institution against the will 

of the majority who want to focus on their studies. He stressed that 

students who engage in such acts would be shown the door. 

The Vice Chancellor applauded the Student Representative Council 

for their matured and considerate leadership. He encouraged them to 

redouble their effort to ensure efficiency in service delivery to students. 

Hangula used the opportunity to welcome the new leadership of the 

University and stressed that the UNAM is preparing to celebrate the 

graduation of its first batch of medical doctors this year. 

The University registered more than 23,000 students from 40 countries, 

compared to 21,975 recorded last year. 

Plans are underway for establishing the School of Dentistry in 

collaboration with the Universities of Turku and Eastern Finland 

while the school of Public Health has recently been introduced as an 

important standalone unit of the Faculty of health sciences. 

“With the new cards students can confirm their 

application for NSFAF loans, use same as an 

identity card for enquiries and for receiving funds 

from NSFAF,” Nghiwete said. “It can be used to 

withdraw money from Bank Windhoek ATMs and 

for receiving loyalty cash back when paying for 

products at selected shopping outlets across the 

country.” 

The cards, according to its promotional materials, 

consist of three divisions: Tuition pocket, Upkeep 

Pocket and Personal Pocket. With the new cards, 

money will be deposited directly into student’s 

accounts from April; an improvement over the 

current system of refunding students at the end of 

the year. 

The cards can also be used for purchase of products 

and cash withdrawals. The Upkeep pocket money 

will be allocated for student accommodations, 

meals, books and any expenses which student may 

incur while studying. 

The Personal Pocket will work as savings accounts, 

from which students can deposit and receive money 

from friends and family. 

NSFAF and Nam-mic have both negotiated 

discounts on the purchase of goods such as airtime, 

electricity and groceries by students with the cards 

from participating retailers. 

Students can withdraw money from the Upkeep 

and Personal Pockets from any Bank Windhoek 

ATM, however there will be a monthly limit to avoid 

misuse of funds. 

The process of obtaining cards is currently in 

progress, and students are being sensitized on notice 

boards and via the UNAM portal. 

Page 4 | 

| Page 5

By: Blanche Engelbrecht 

By: Stephen Nyoni 

UNAM : An Architectural Wonder 

Single Quarters 

coming to UNAM 

The University of Namibia`s Emona Hostels, will be the new 

single quarters as it will be availing kapana every Sunday 

in the hostel premises, following the launch of ‘Emona Sunday 

Sessions’. 

The idea is to bring the whole Single Quarters meat market 

experience to campus. The initiative is spearheaded by the 

housing committee chairperson, Drayton Magunde, who says that he suggested the idea when he realized that 

many students feel discouraged to go all the way to single quarters in Katutura to buy kapana. This is because it is 

a long way from campus and they have to pay double the normal taxi fare to get there. 

Kapana is meat (usually beef) which is cut into small pieces, grilled and sold. A kapana man (as they are called) 

will be coming to campus on Sundays to sell kapana at the underused braai area on the Emona premises. 

The resident manager, Robert Haihambo, said he supports the initiative because it will create unity among 

students, not only from Emona but from the other hostels on campus as well. ”Academics should be every 

student’s first priority,” Haihambo said. “But it does no harm to unwind a little before the week starts”. The 

kapana will be sold at an affordable price, similar to the prices at single quarters. 

An excited Emona resident, Tulikeni Shikomba, says that it will provide an opportunity for herself and her 

friends to enjoy the Namibian delicacy without going all the way to Katutura. “Kapana guys usually also make 

provision for take aways,” Shikomba said. “We can take and keep in our fridges to consume later during the 

week.” 

The Sunday Session commences from 11am to 5pm. 

The University of Namibia’s (UNAM) quest to turn 

into a top - class academy, is one that is surely 

evident with the continued infrastructural development. 

“Ranging from turning a swimming pool into an 

upgraded lecture hall facility and study centre to 

erecting a standard and user-friendly three story library 

building,” said Johannes Ndeitunga, a 4th year Business 

Administration student. “The campus is beautifully 

designed”. 

The recently constructed Emona hostels are also a 

good example of UNAM’s leap towards infrastructural 

modernity. These are accommodation facilities designed 

as three stories with rooms accommodating two 

students each. Every bed space is accompanied by a 

study compartment, book shelf and a wardrobe. Each 

floor has a widely-spaced kitchen doubling as a communal 

area with satellite Television; truly a 21st Century version of 

students’ accommodation. 

The University also officially opened a department housing 

the School of Military Science - branding it as the latest 

addition to the Institution’s academic portfolio. 

Next to the Emona hostels currently stands a brand 

new Taxi rank, so beautiful to the eye with a touch of 

contemporary architecture which always brings out the edge 

in any building or facility. This new taxi rank sports a very 

strong security system that is designed to upgrade the level 

of safety in and around campus. 

With this continued construction of up-to-par high grade 

infrastructure, “UNAM is definitely on course to being 

ranked among the top best architecturally designed Tertiary 

institutions in the region”. Tafara Chiweshe a Media Studies 

3rd year student stated. 

| Page 6 | Page 7

By: Rejoice Hamauka & Rauna Moses 

Campus Crusade 

"We all have dreams that we want 

to accomplish, but sometimes our 

circumstances make succeeding a 

challenge." 

By: Wilhemine Mutorwa 

N 

E 

Campus Crusade spices up spiritual life at 

UNAM 

Life at university can be a great load on the shoulders for beginners. It is for this reason that there 

are various religious groups on campus that students can join as this may help them be a part of 

a journey of embracing life’s roller coaster. 

Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC), one of the religious groups on campus’ goal it to shine the light 

thus enabling every student to grow in Christ. 

Meetings, referred to as Prime Time, are held weekly on Wednesdays. During prime time, students 

come together and learn from one another through evangelism. There are also Action Groups that is 

the back bone for CCC. These small groups of students come together and learn from one another 

as they share more insights about Jesus’ gospel as commanded in Matthews 28:19-20. This gives 

students an understanding of God and that of themselves too. 

We (fourth year students) are left with 

10 months. What are you going to 

do throughout the year to reach your goals and 

accomplish them? Set your goals right now and 

be determined to achieve them no matter what 

the situation may be, just don’t give up. At some 

point in our lives, we have all felt like giving up 

because things just aren’t going our way and isn’t 

that the easier way out? 

No, never give up on your dreams. It might 

not be easy, but every dream you have should 

be realized. Like a seed planted in fertile soil, 

it grows and produces the good fruits it should; 

envision your dream the same way. 

Many successful people did not get where they 

are in life by lying flat on their backs, waiting for 

things to happen. They had visions of what they 

wanted to accomplish in their lives and worked 

hard to succeed. You might be walking through 

the most desolate desert, or the darkest time in 

your life, but do not lose hope. 

The bible tells us in Philippians 4:13 “I can do 

all things through Christ who strengthens me.” 

Nothing can stop you from accomplishing what 

you have set your mind to do, because God 

gives us strength in ways that go beyond our 

expectations. Let Him be your source of strength, 

giving you wisdom to know when to 

surrender to him when you are weak 

and feel like giving up. 

One of the most memorable stories 

that has touched the hearts of many 

people is that of Derek Anthony 

Redmond. A retired British athlete 

who held the British record for the 

400 meters sprint, and won gold 

medals in the 4x400 meters relay at 

the World Championships, European 

Championships and Commonwealth 

Games. 

His dream was to win the 1992 

Olympic Games in Barcelona but 

pulled a hamstring instead and 

displayed strength that should inspire 

all of us. After this happened during 

the race he didn’t give up but was 

even more determined to cross the 

finish line. He got back up, hopped on 

one leg and continued the race. His 

Dad joined him, supporting his son 

till the end. He did not let his situation 

define his strength and what he is 

capable of accomplishing. 

As we begin this year let us carry 

the same spirit 

everyday as we 

wake up and 

start the day; 

sometimes it 

won’t go your 

way, Yes! But 

that doesn’t 

make you 

a failure or 

incapable of 

achieving your 

dreams. Dream 

big and Never give up. Be bold and 

courageous. 

Page 8| | Page 9 

V 

E 

R 

G 

I 

V 

E 

U 

P

The coffee pot 

By: Vaidah Kabajani 

By: Kachinga Shezongo 

The beauty of 

natural hair 

Alcohol is 

healthy and 

soothing 

for the body when 

it is taken in small 

quantities. The average 

university student in 

Namibia drinks about 10 

litres of alcohol a month and this is higher than the 

required 5 litres, which is good for the body. 

It is important to have a limit when it comes to alcohol 

intake. Two glasses of wine are okay after a long 

stressful day at school, as long as it’s not every day. 

However, it is essential to remember not to drink on 

an empty stomach, as this may lead to liver and kidney 

failure 

Drinking responsibly also means drinking wisely. 

It is better to drink alone than in the company of 

peers, because drinking in the company of friends 

encourages a higher amount of alcohol intake. 

Drinking alone allows one to relax and prevents over 

drinking. 

Strong alcoholic drinks like vodka, with an alcohol 

volume percentage higher than thirty are supposed to 

be diluted with water or drank in not more than five 

Avoid being abused by alcohol 

shots. Drinking should also be accompanied 

with water intake. Taking water between 

alcoholic drinks helps to cleanse the body 

from most toxins and also helps one regain 

their soberness. An effective way to do this 

is to take a glass of water before taking any 

alcoholic beverage, as one may forget to take 

water afterwards. 

Mixing different 

types of alcohol is 

also a hazard to one’s 

health. Beer can only 

be mixed with ciders 

but not with vodka. 

Wine shouldn’t be 

mixed with anything 

other than a cider. It’s 

necessary to stick to 

one type of alcohol, 

as this limits the 

chances of “blacking 

out”, which is when one gets drunk, falls 

asleep, wakes up the next morning and 

doesn’t remember the previous nights’ events. 

Avoid being abused by alcohol by controlling 

your drinking. Being an adult means taking 

responsibility for your actions and being 

a student means being serious about your 

actions. 

It seems like 

ladies around 

the University 

of Namibia have 

discovered the essence of natural and 

traditional look in their hairstyles. 

The natural craze has taken the world of black 

hair care by storm. I've seen dialogues and topics 

surrounding the natural movement; celebrating 

women who have gone natural, team natural, 

team no weave. But many still have the mentality 

that having long weaved or short artificial hair is 

the only way of enhancing feminine beauty. 

We took out time and talked to some students 

around campus. They emphasised that they 

prefer bold and tint hair cut while others added 

that having short hair is the in fashion trend at 

the moment. 

“I am happy and it has been six months now with 

short hair,” said Anna Ndamonako, a fourth year 

media studies’ student. 

“I do not miss the fiery 

sensation of chemicals 

caustic enough to smack 

the kink out of my hair.” 

"Having natural hair is the beauty of a 

woman" said Jerome Nawej a male Congolese 

student studying economics. “Women today 

are so focused on having fake hair, Brazilian 

hair, relaxed hair etc. We see these things in 

our homes and around Campus, but at the 

end of the day natural is still the way to go.” 

It’s ok to have short, neat and natural hair,” 

said Betty Temba, a first year student. 

“Besides I have had short hair since high 

school up until today; it really saves time.” 

Page 10 | | Page 11

By: Elizabeth Haidula 

Procrastination 

- a student’s disease - 

By: Eliphas Naango 

Survive and thrive from year 1 

You get an assignment that's due in a month’s time 

and what you tell yourself is “I will do it during 

the last week.” Doing things when the time suits you 

and not realizing it's a bad habit is a smooth road to 

failure. 

Here are SIX signs you are a procrastinator. 

1. You get up late 

You try to be an all-nighter and you delay your 

important tasks to the early AMs. Finally, you end the 

night with a series of “energizing naps” which 

stop when you suddenly realize that it’s already the 

next afternoon 

and you’re not finished. 

2. Every Time is your bedtime 

Like I just stated, you don’t know when to sleep or 

when to wake up. So you simply sleep when you want 

to 

procrastinate. You don’t have a certain 

time to start working which makes it hard to get 

anything done. 

3. You are getting addictive 

Eating, drinking or nail biting calms you down for a 

while when you are nervous and stressed. But you just 

do it to get away from the boring “to do list” that you 

have on your bedroom wall. 

“I will do it later.” 

4. When it’s too hard, you give up 

You’re in love with new beginnings; a new movie 

to watch, or a one-time show you want to attend. 

You’re just so stressed that the only way to 

get out of it is to give up. 

5. You no longer trust yourself 

You never keep a promise, especially to yourself. 

You know that promises are stronger than you and 

that you can’t get out of it, so you just stop making 

them. 

6. You envy hard workers 

You admire how organized hard workers are. You 

really admire them and you want to be the same but 

deep inside you believe that you can’t. That’s why the 

more you procrastinate the more you admire hard 

workers. Pity! 

Perhaps you were class president in 

high school or you were a member 

of the honours’ society. Actually, it 

doesn’t really matter what you did in high 

school as you make the transition to the 

university. High school success (or lack of it) 

doesn’t automatically apply to varsity life. 

You start at the university with a clean 

academic slate, along with a lot of 

independence and a myriad of critical 

decisions as you begin the transition into 

adulthood. The decisions that you make and 

the actions you take during this first year at 

the university will have a major impact on 

the rest of your university experience. 

This article is not meant to scare you or 

take away any of the joy, excitement, and 

anticipation you feel about being at varsity, 

quite the opposite. This article is all about 

the things you need to do, to not only 

survive your first year of college, but to 

thrive. And many of the tools, skills, and 

habits you develop through this article 

cannot only be used to help you succeed but 

help with your future career as well. 

1. Get Organized. 

In high school, the teachers tend to lead you 

through all the homework and due 

dates. At the university, the lecturers post 

the assignments — often for the entire 

semester — and expect you to be prepared. 

Buy an organizer, use an app, or get a big 

wall calendar — whatever it takes for you to 

know when assignments are due. 

2. Find the ideal place for you to 

study. 

It may be your dorm room or a cosy corner 

of the library, but find a place that works 

best for you to get your work done — while 

avoiding as many distractions as possible. 

3. Go to class. 

Obvious, right? Maybe, but sleeping in and 

skipping that 7.30 am class will be tempting at 

times. Avoid the temptation. Besides learning the 

material by attending classes, you’ll also receive 

vital information from the lecturer about what to 

expect in tests, changes in due dates etc. 

4. Become an expert on course 

requirements and due dates. 

Lecturers spend hours and hours preparing course 

syllabus and calendars so that you will know 

exactly what is expected of you — and when. One 

of the lamest excuses a student can give a lecturer: 

“I didn’t know it was due today.” 

5. Seek a balance. 

University life is a mixture of social and academic 

happenings. Don’t tip the balance too far in either 

direction. “Study hard, play hard.” 

6. Get involved on campus. 

A big problem for a lot of new students is a 

combination of homesickness and a feeling of not 

quite belonging. A solution? Consider joining a 

select group — and be careful not to go overboard 

— of student organizations, clubs, sororities or 

fraternities, or sports teams. You’ll make new 

friends, learn new skills, and feel more connected 

to your school. 

7. Strive for good grades. 

Another obvious one here, right? Remember 

the words of the opening paragraph; while good 

grades could have come naturally to you in 

high school, you will have to earn them at the 

university— and that means setting some goals for 

yourself and then making sure you work as hard 

as you can to achieve them. 

8. Take advantage of the study 

resources on campus. 

Just about all universities have learning labs and 

tutors available. If you’re having some troubles, 

these resources are another tool available to you. 

Another idea: form study groups. 

9. Make time for you. 

Be sure you set aside some time and activities that 

help you relax and take the stress out of your day 

or week. Whether it is enlisting in yoga classes, 

watching your favourite television shows, or 

writing in a journal. Be good to yourself. 

10. Don’t feel pressured to make a 

hasty decision about a career or a 

major. 

It doesn’t matter if it seems as though everyone 

else seems to know what they’re doing with their 

lives — believe me, they don’t — university is the 

time for you to really discover who you are, what 

you enjoy doing, what you’re good at, and what 

you want to be. It’s not a race; take your time and 

enjoy exploring your options. 

11. Take responsibility for yourself 

and your actions. 

Don’t look to place the blame on others for your 

mistakes; own up to them and move on. Being an 

adult means taking responsibility for everything 

that happens to you. 

12. Stay healthy/Eat Right. 

A lot of problems first-year students face can be 

traced back to an illness that kept them away from 

classes for an extended period of time that led to a 

downward spiralling effect. Get enough sleep, take 

your vitamins, and eat right. 

13. Seek professional help when you 

need it. 

Most universities have health and counselling 

centres. If you are sick, feel isolated or depressed, 

please take advantage of the many services these 

offices provide students. You don’t have to face 

these issues by yourself. 

14. Keep track of your money. 

If you have never had to create a budget, now 

is the time to do so. Find ways to stretch your 

money – and as best you can. Avoid all those 

credit card solicitations you’ll soon be receiving. 

The average credit card debt of college grads is 

staggering. 

15. Don’t cut corners. College is all 

about learning. 

If you procrastinate and cram, you may still do 

well in tests, but you’ll learn very little. Even 

worse, don’t cheat on term papers or tests. 

You have done all the prep work — you have 

gotten good grades in high school, scored well on 

a standardized test, and have been accepted into 

the university you want to attend — so enjoy all 

your hard work while laying the groundwork for 

a successful university stay. Don’t be a statistic; 

be determined to make it through your freshman 

year — and beyond. Take advantage of your 

network of new friends and lecturers. Have fun 

while learning as much as you can and get the 

most out of your university experience. 

Page 12 | | Page 13

By: Veripura Muukua 

“What’s your New Year’s resolution?” has 

become one of those clichéd phrases that we 

find ourselves being asked at the start of every 

year. Honestly, it’s always something I think 

about that moment I am asked. LOL, ignore or 

say the first thing that comes to mind, for the 

sake of it? 

In short, a New Year’s Resolution is when a 

person makes a promise to do an act of selfimprovement, 

growth or change. When I looked 

at this definition I realized I never had a “self” 

focus which I kept till the end. I probably say 

the same thing other students out there say, “ 

I will just focus on the goal of completing my 

studies, finish the year and move onto the next 

year of studies, work or whatever the case may 

be.” 

A few weeks ago I came across an article 

titled “Self-Loyal” that moved me and got me 

thinking, “YES! This is what I want to achieve 

this year and always.” So I thought, why not 

share?” 

Many a time we find ourselves putting other’s 

first and the needs of others first, which is great, 

as I believe that we are here to serve others and 

to be selfless. That, however, does not mean we 

should forget about ourselves, which I realized 

that we sometimes do. 

- THE LOUD MOUTH - 

Cheers to 

self-loyal year! 

Culled from: http://www.buzzle.com/img/articleImages/612097-30611-5.jpg 

They say who/what you give loyalty to, is what 

you become. So I should ask what or who are you 

loyal to? Loyal to others and not to yourself? Is 

everything and everyone around you a priority 

but you’re not a priority to yourself? Drop your 

dreams to go build the dreams of others? All these 

questions came to mind. 

I learned that, in everything we do, we should be 

loyal to our own worth, goals and also those who 

are living the way that we want to be. 

Let this be the year you work on building and 

improving yourself for the better, and becoming 

who you 

ought to be. 

A year to 

set goals, 

work on 

them till 

you achieve 

them. 

I am 

sharing this 

hoping it motivates you as it has motivated me, or 

simply to remind you. 

With this, let’s all say cheers to a self-loyal year! 

#Varsity 

About two 

weeks ago, 

the feesmust-fall 

fever 

finally hit our 

shores. A handful 

of students from 

the University of 

Namibia (UNAM) 

gathered at the 

main campus 

to demonstrate 

against the 

proposed 7. 5% 

fee increment for 

the 2016 academic 

year. 

The students, 

together with members of the Namibia National Students 

Organization (NANSO) and other youth leaders, expressed 

their concerns over the increment and demanded that 

they should be allowed to register without paying any 

registration fees. 

As expected, the VarsityLockDown hash-tag went viral 

on social media and also made headlines in some local 

daily newspapers. This prompted the Minister of Higher 

Education, Training and Innovation, Iita Kandjii-Murangi 

to convene a meeting with the affected parties in order to 

reach an amicable solution. 

The closed-door meeting yielded some positive results as 

students were allowed to register without paying registration 

fees. This, however, is a once off agreement and students will 

have to settle all outstanding fees sometime this year. 

As a student myself, I do commend the University for its 

willingness to engage students in dialogue and, in particular, 

for providing some temporary and much-needed relief at 

Lock - 

Our side of the story 

By: Fillipus Absalom 

Down 

this time when money 

is really tight. As we 

all know, young people 

are the future of this 

country and in order 

for us to propel it to 

greater prosperity and 

ultimately reach Vision 

2030, we need to educate 

and equip them with the 

necessary knowledge 

and skills. This will not 

only enable Namibia 

to become a powerful 

global player, but it 

will also contribute 

significantly to the fight 

against poverty. 

However, this is only attainable when people have access 

to affordable education which, contrary to common 

belief, does not necessarily mean service provision will be 

compromised. 

Increasing tuition fees also means that funders such as 

the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) 

will be forced to fork out more and more money each 

year to assist these students. This will only increase the 

student debt that is already high and put more pressure 

on new graduates as they pay back their student loans. 

In conclusion, universities should try securing 

more sponsorship from the private sector and meet 

government halfway in its quest for development and 

poverty alleviation. Everyone should have access to 

education; after all, it is a fundamental human right. 

Page 14 | | Page 15

By: Carol-Lee Shandry Peter & Vaidah Kabajani 

UNAM HOSTELS' POOR CONDITION 

WORSENS 

By: Vaidah Kabajana 

PICTURE THIS THOUGHT 

His serious nature comes through, with the 

way he sounds. When expected to answer 

every question, going into serious detail 

and making the conversation as interesting as 

possible. 

This popular music video director is not your 

average kind of person. Maya Neto, the owner 

of Maya Neto Films has managed to have the 

public wanting to know more about him and 

appreciating the impact he has made in the 

Namibian Music Industry. 

Living conditions at UNAM main campus have 

worsened rapidly since the hostels were built and 

the shortage of caretakers and cleaners is seen as 

the main cause. 

With the name New Hostels, one would think that the 

living condition is up to standard but this is however 

not the case. Malfunctioning toilets, fire catching 

geysers, broken shower and room doors are among 

some of the inconveniences experienced at the hostel. 

According to the representative of UNAM housing 

committee, Hilya Joseph, each block has only one 

cleaner resulting in a cleaner to occupancy ratio of 1:67. 

“They do not give them enough cleaning supplies,” 

Joseph said. “Cleaners need to dilute the detergents, 

resulting in the chemicals not being sufficient.” 

In addition New Hostel only has one person who is in 

charge of maintenance. With a total of eleven blocks 

and more than sixty occupants each, the request to fix 

facilities may be too much for one caretaker. 

Hostel students also complain about waiting for a long 

time before broken facilities are fixed. Due to improper 

upkeep, water pipes are said to be rusted, making water 

unsafe to drink. “The main cause of pollution at New 

Hostel is the occupants”, Joseph stated. “Other problems 

students are experiencing are lack of litterbins in toilets 

and kitchens and floors that are constantly stained.” 

“This is totally unfair” said Anna Shitete, a concerned 

student. “We are paying a lot of money to this 

institution and we deserve proper sanitation.” 

Another student who preferred anonymity noted that 

“for the amount of money we pay, we deserve proper 

and clean toilets with hand sanitizer and toilet paper.” 

Students currently pay N$9470 per semester to live in 

the hostel and many occupants have questioned the 

disbursement of these funds. Some students believe that 

the bulk of these funds may not be used for the care of 

the hostel. 

“Increase the number of cleaners, look at water pipes, 

draw up strict policies, students to clean up after 

themselves and increase the number of bins inside and 

outside blocks,” said Joseph when asked for suggestions 

to improve hostel conditions. 

Renovations are currently taking place at UNAM old 

hostels and have also started at New Hostel, giving hope 

that conditions may improve. 

“Concentrated and quick to cut to the chase, Neto 

doesn't say much but as the scenes unfold under 

his unwavering gaze, there is a ferocity and focus that belies his calm character”, said Liz 

Ehlers, the Namibian award winning jazz musician. 

According to the Namibian Music Industry Page on Facebook, Neto has been ranked the 

best video director in the country, which he is not too thrilled about as is usually expected. 

According to him there is so much to do and he is not even close to what he wants to 

accomplish. 

“The moment you get too comfortable and assume, that is as far as you go just because it was 

decided for you by another individual or group, is the moment you actually fail yourself,” he 

said. “I understand that the University of Namibia (UNAM) offers Directing, but the fact of 

the matter is, you will only be as good as you decide, not even being a graduate from Harvard 

University can decide that”, he added. He has never attended Varsity courses or anything in 

relation to broadcasting, he simply just loves to do his job. 

“When I started, I was an employee at Ogopa Butterfly, It was more of an experience than a 

job, one that has shaped me into what I have become today. My final words of encouragement 

to the UNAM students would be to do what you love and never be in it for anything but the 

love of it. For when you do it with such thoughts, you win without even knowing that you 

have completed the race”, he said. 

Currently, he has major projects in Luanda, Angola that his working on completing, 

Page 16| 

| Page 17

By: Matheus Michael 


UNAM staff take on more... 


With a five percent increase in the student population this year, the University of Namibia is 

short-staffed and, as a result, many lecturers are overworked. 

UNAM has enrolled more than five thousand new students this year with the breakdown as 

follows: Faculty of Science 50 percent, Humanities 30 percent and Law 20 percent. With this many 

students, the institution is said to be in need of about fifty additional academic staffs. 

Social media is life 

Many lecturers are forced to teach more than three modules and, as a result, they have more 

contact hours with students and increasing amount of assignments to mark. “I shouldn’t be 

teaching first years,” complained Albert Shiino, a Science lecturer at UNAM. “But since there are a 

very few lecturers, I’m forced to teach them.” 

This issue has also sparked concern among parents as they worry that their children, especially 

first years, are not going to perform well since lecturers would be too overwhelmed to give the 

required attention to their wards. 

People constantly complain about how social media is damaging the world and human 

interaction in general, even though they do not want to admit that we cannot do anything 

without the internet and social media. 

We need to put this in the right perspective. As students, we can’t live without social media because 

it’s become our routine activity. Parents will tell you that the internet is harmful and it takes up much 

of our study time, but one should understand that we live in a different era now. Everything has its 

pros and cons. I am not saying the internet has no negative effects, but maybe time will tell 

A colleague sent me a WhatsApp text arguing that social media was killing cultural values and 

norms. He said he wants to send an Email to some experts to discuss it further, and that he will use 

some YouTube videos as reference. Lately, he’s been posting about such effects on Facebook and he 

even demonstrated with some pictures on his Instagram page. 

He ended the text by saying that I should 

follow him back on Twitter and that I should 

check his LinkedIn profile for his views and 

opinions. What he implies makes sense, 

however his approach is contradictory. A 

wise man once said “You cannot fight an 

opponent in their comfort zone”. 

What am saying here is, if you think the 

internet is destructive, don’t make it look like 

an impossibility; find a different platform 

to fight against it. You can’t go against the 

internet on the internet, and that just shows 

how you cannot do without it. 

Page 18 | 

| Page 19

By: Letta Muleka 

Around and about UNAM Campuses 

By: Vaidah Kabajana 

Neudamm Campus "The farm-fresh campus" 

"There is insufficient spaces at Katima Mulilo Campus- Students" 

Neudamm is a beautiful campus situated on a large-scale farm, 30km 

outside of Windhoek which accommodates a total of 150 students. 

It is also the core of the agriculture and natural resources faculty of the 

University of Namibia that provides farm fresh produce to the UNAM 

community. 

Neudamm houses Bachelor of Science courses such as animal science, 

food science, agricultural economics and veterinary medicine. The campus 

attracts and is home to students from different parts of the world. The 

tranquil atmosphere and friendly students welcome daily visitors who have 

grown fond of the campus’ environment. 

Neudamm campus is widely known for its farm produce, ranging from 

quality dairy products like butter, sour milk and yogurt, to meat products 

as well as poultry and vegetables. The small student population takes pride 

in volunteer programmes and practicals. 

Katima Mulilo campus hostels is unable to accommodate the increased student numbers 

thus leaving students with no alternative than to secure accommodation off campus. 

Students from rural areas like Masida and Linyanti are forced to reside in Coloureds’ Camp 

and Katima Base. The students said that they are forced to part with a lot of money even 

though these locations are unsafe. 

The students said that these accommodation are located near bars and shebeens, from 

where loud music emanate thus hindering effective study. They recall that about two years 

ago, a fight which killed about three people occurred at one of the nearby bars. 

Another issue the students raised is poor sanitation in these off campus accommodation. 

“Many of the ablution facilities here are not working,” Mundiya Simataa said. “This forces 

some of us to use the bush.” 

This raises the spectre of a possible epidemic outbreak as “the constant use of bushes has led 

to these places being littered,” said a student who pleaded anonymity. 

The introduction of new courses resulted in the increase of enrolment figures to 3000 even 

though the campus can only accommodate 200 students. 

The farm produce are sold at affordable prices although the Neudamm 

and main campus staff get first dibs on purchases. The remainders of the 

products are then sold to students. 

Even though Neudamm campus is isolated, students take part in extracurricular 

activities and also relax at the Neudamm dam in their leisure 

hours. 

Page 20 | 

| Page 21

By: Elizabeth Massamba 

Sport 

By: Mariana Shaakumeni 

The Mighty 

Gunners FC 

overshadow 

UNAM in 

round 18 of 

NPL 

The Mighty Gunners Football Club beat UNAM FC one to nil in Windhoek 

on the 6th of February. 

This prevented UNAM from winning their first game since the start of round 

two of the Namibia Premier League (NPL). 

UNAM Bokkies flying high... 

The UNAM female football team, UNAM Bokkies, defeated Omaheke Queens on Saturday, 6th 

February with four goals to nil. 

The game took place at Legare stadium in Gobabis. UNAM Bokkies only managed to score in the 

second half. The first goal was scored by Elina Uugulu, a midfielder, the second and fourth was scored by 

Ester Amukwaya, a defender and the third by Aina Gabriel, a striker. 

“The girls are really doing well in the Namibian Super League,” said the UNAM Bokkies’ coach Simson 

Paulus. “This game went well with few players benched due to injuries and other commitments” The coach 

also said that both their goals came in the second half. “Amukwaya who scored two goals joined the team as 

a goalkeeper but changed to defending just for that game,” he said. 

The highest goal scorer, Amukwaya, also confirmed that they were playing possession football but did not 

capitalize on the chances due to the fact that they were in a hurry to score and they were not used to the 

terrain. 

“I was booked off by the medical team due to some injuries but I could not let my team down,” Amukwaya 

said. “I decided to be a goal keeper but I got really frustrated as we were losing possession too often so I 

asked our coach if I can go into the field. I went in and scored a very important goal within minutes. And we 

kept pressing until we scored four goals.” 

On Saturday at the University of Namibia (UNAM) sports field, Werner 

Waputuaka from the Mighty Gunners scored one goal and that’s all they needed 

to collect three points in their first game. 

The defeat against Mighty Gunners leaves UNAM without a win in their last 

seven games. UNAM lost its last two games against Rundu-based club Rundu 

Chiefs and Young Chiefs from Oshakati. 

UNAM’s coach Ronny Kanalelo said his team needs to start winning games 

because they are dropping in the log standings. He added that he feels that lack 

of confidence is affecting their games and things need to start changing soon. 

The last time UNAM won a game was in the first 2015/2016 NPL season, which 

was on 25th October last year against Black Africa. 

Page 22 | 

| Page 23

AUNTY KNOWS BEST 

Q: Dear Aunty 

I am a 26 year-old-lady and I am in love with a married man. He lives 

with his wife but he promised that he would marry me. He currently 

pays for my school fees at UNAM and he gives me everything I want. 

Aunty, how can I hasten their divorce? 

A: If you are anticipating a divorce one wonders as to why you did not 

wait for the supposed divorce to get finalized before getting involved 

with him? Firstly, ask yourself does this man actually want to divorce his 

wife or did he just fill you with stories so that he can continue with his 

master plan of being a husband and a play boy? It should not be your job 

to separate them, this man should want to divorce his wife, otherwise 

you are wasting your time and youth on a man that will never leave his 

wife. If he really wanted to, he would have done it before getting involved 

with you. An agreement with a married person to divorce his or her 

spouse to pave a way for your relationship is not only against public taste and good manners, but immoral as 

well. The law protects the institution of marriage. The man’s wife is entitled to sue you for committing adultery 

with her husband. 

Q: Dear Aunty 

My life is a little messed up. I am in love with a man that does not love me. We have a child together and he 

supports both me and the child and we spend a lot of time together. We chat all the time, we sleep together and 

even kiss every time we say goodbye but he still says he does not love me. He is the only guy I’ve been with, 

whom I love dearly. Aunty what do I do? How do I let go? I really don’t want another guy in my life. 

A: It is so difficult to let go of a marriage or significant relationship particularly if there are kids involved. 

More-so for you as this is your first love. So you, like many people (especially women), keep the relationship 

going under any circumstances, because it feels too painful and scary to be free of this person completely. You 

know what you need to do. You know you are compromising yourself and confusing your child with this socalled 

relationship. You know you need to kick his sorry butt out the door and keep that door tightly shut. Just 

because he is the father of your child, does not mean he has the right to treat you like a side bag. You as a lady 

should love yourself enough to walk away from situations that don’t build you. There is someone else in your 

life now who deserves all your attention and love. Work on being the best role model you can be for your little 

one and give yourself time to heal, grieve, cry, get angry and get confident, sassy as well as sexy. 

Q: Hi Aunty 

There are not enough graduate programs to train and insert new graduates into the workforce. This makes it 

difficult for university graduates to secure employment after they have completed their studies. It is especially 

hard for the University of Namibia students, as many courses do not make provisions for students to do 

internship in order to learn how to apply what they have learned at the university and therefore gives them little 

experience. It is a problem because companies do not only require some expertise but they require you to have 

the knowledge and be able to apply it, which is a skill the university fails to teach. 

A: These days’ degrees are only a small part of securing employment; it’s unfortunate but this is the truth. As 

much as a lot of people believe experience is important, it really isn't necessary. Employees look for individuals 

with new and fresh ideas and perspectives; people who show that they can be proactive and aggressive. By 

getting involved in a lot of different projects on or off campus as well as working hard, you are creating your 

own work experience. Once an employer sees how you've been innovative enough to gain your own work 

experience, I can almost guarantee that you will be able to secure any job you want. 

Q: Hi Aunty 

What’s going on? I am repairing two cars!! I have loads of unfinished tasks and I think I got someone pregnant. 

I have workers asking for money even when they didn’t finish their tasks. I don’t know, I’m just messed up!! 

A: I want you to find a quiet, cosy place where you can sit, take a deep breath and handle one problem at 

a time. Firstly, find out what you want in life. That's the only way you can straighten your life out. All these 

things you are facing will not go away until you solve them. Secondly, make time to repair those cars, draw up a 

schedule of everything you need to do and make sure you do them on time; it’s important to prioritize. Thirdly, 

you think you got someone pregnant? Well you need to make sure and if she is pregnant by you, you need to 

man up and take responsibility. Finally, as regards the workers asking for money without completing their 

tasks, is it that you do not have a signed working agreement? You need to have a fixed agreement with your 

employees, that outlines all the necessary details from day one and when it all needs to be completed. Don’t 

worry you are not messed up, you’re just not organized properly. 

Q: Hi aunty 

I am a 19 year old girl and my pastor sucked my breast in order to remove some bad things. I am a virgin and I 

never had a man suck them before. I am so in love with my pastor and how will I let him know that I love him? 

A: You need to be extremely careful when it comes to religion and faith. So many false prophets are springing 

up each day promising various things. To most, they come off very convincing and it forces a lot of people 

to follow blindly without knowing what the scriptures say. I urge you to critically look at these practices and 

determine whether they are in line with what the Bible says and as you do this, pray to God for enlightenment 

because they are so many false prophets taking advantage of people. After this, you should be able to decide 

whether your feelings for him are true and not built on false ideas. 

Page 24 | 

| Page 25

PUZZLES 

TULI LOST EXAM TIMETABLE 

Puzzle Game 

Black History Month 

Do you know your Black History? Test your knowledge on Black History. 

Tuli will be having her exams in 15 minutes but she can't seem to locate her exam Timetable. Can you help her find 

it? 

Down 

1. What was the name of the movement across the world to support African countries' quests for Independence? 

2. He served as the seventh Secretary General of the United Nations from January 1997 to December2006. 

5. Who was the first black astronaut to walk in space? 

8. The first African to be honored with the Nobel Prize in Literature, 1986. 

Across 

3. Which Namibian leader was also known for the name Nansebgaib Gâbemab 

4. Which group migrated to Southern Africa about 2,000 years ago? 

6. Who is the founder of the Wassoulou Empire, an Islamic state? 

7. He fought against Apartheid, was imprisoned for many years, and then became the first black African president of 

South Africa after his release. 

9. What was the first black newspaper called? 

10. Malian leader who traveled to Mecca, giving gold out all along the way. 

Page 26 | 

1. Independence 

movement. 

2. Kofi Annan. 

5. Bernard Harrisjr. 

8. Wole Soyinka. 

Down 

3. Hendrik Witbooi. 

4.The Bantu. 

6. SamoryToure. 

7. Nelson Mandela. 

9. Freedom’s journal. 

10. Mansa musa. 

Across 

| Page 27

Cartoons 

| Page 28

Entire List of Contributors 

Secretary 

Eliphas Nahango 

0813992003 

Politics 

Vilho Hangula 

Sackeus Iikela 

Idipo Hosea 

Johannes Akwenye 

Agnes Iikuyu 

Margaret Kalo 

Economics 

Mulenga Mwelwa 

Farai T. Munoriarwa 

Francis Mkandawire 

Lifestyle 

Vaidah Kabajani 

Eveline Indongo 

Tendai Nyashanu 

Kachinga Shezongo 

Ndamonako Iita 

Lineekela Amadhila 

Veripura Muukua 

Shareen Van Wyk 

Wilhelmine Mutorwa 

Gossip 

Salimi Gerhard 

Agnes Iikuyu 

Angelina Uunona 

Maranatha Goroh 

Photography 

Eliphas Nahango 

Masiyaleti Mbewe 

Idipo Hosea 

Thomas Amutenya 


Caleb Munthali 



Campuses 

Vaidah Kabajani (Katima 

Mulilo) 

Idipo H. I Jose (Eduardo 

Dos Santos) 

Letta Muleka (Neudam 

campus) 

Elizabeth Haidula 

(Khomasdal campus) 

Anna Iithete (Southern 

campus) 

John Mwenyo (Rundu) 

Courage Gondo (School of 

Medicine) 

Botho Tswetla ( Hifikepunye 

Pohamba) 

Maragaret Kalo (Ogongo) 

Mandy Mumba (Oshakati) 

Agnes Iikuyu (Sam Nujoma) 

Konstancia Elago (Main 

Campus) 

Design 




Sijile Mapanda 

Today Amoomo 

Religious & 

Devotional 

Rejoice 

Rauna 

Wilhelmine Mutorwa 



Kachinga Shezongo 



Agnes Iikuyu 

Education 

Agnes Iikuyu 


Sadam Absalom 

Rauna 

Deidre Shino 

Freddie Muyamba 

Margaret Kalo 

Opinion 


Mariana Shaakumeni 



Matthew Kawonge 

Souja Mwaulange 


Farai T. Munoriarwa 

Kudzai Muchechetere 

Anna Iithete 

Margaret Kalo 

Features 



Sadam Absalom 

David Lyimo 



Videos 


Idipo Hosea 

Vilho Hangula 


Thomas Hamutenya 



David Lyimo 

Jane Moshi 

Matheus Michael 

Agony Aunt 


Elisabeth Massamba 


Souja Mwaulange 

David Lyimo 

Jane Moshi 

Social Media 


Matthew Kawonge 

Letta Muleka 



Angeline Uunona 

Deidre Shino 




Michael Mathews 

Agnes Iikuyu 

Sports 


Mariana Shaakumeni 

Rejoice 

Rauna 

Idipo Hosea 

Marketing 


Rejoice 

Tendai Nyashanu 

Wilhelmina Mutorwa 



Agnes Iikuyu 

Anna Iithete 

Cartoons 

Idipo H.I 




Editor 


Sub Editors 

Marianna Shaakumeni 



Idipo H. I 


Sijile Mapanda 




Agnes Iikuyu 


Wilhelmine Mutorwa

UNAM

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