Student leader: Dorthea Nangolo

Dorthea Nangolo, a law student at the University of Namibia (Unam), has recently been elected as the president of the Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) during this year’s 18th national students congress.

Taking over from Lucia Ndishishi, Nangolo is quite familiar with the organisation with a handful of experience and passion for her new role, having previously served as the secretary for information, communication and technology.

Nangolo completed her secondary education at Gabriel Taapopi Senior Secondary School, where she held the esteemed positions of head prefect and head girl in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

Her leadership path began in 2019 when she joined Nanso as the political and internal relations officer in the Oshana Regional Council's executive committee, a role she held until 2021.

She then served as the Unam main campus branch chairperson before being elected to the national executive committee.

Beyond her academic and leadership roles, Nangolo is also a poet, writer, public speaker and a fervent youth and social justice activist. She emphasised that her passion for social justice and access to justice inspired her to pursue a career in law. "I knew that law would place me in a position to better advocate for the right to justice,” she said.

Nangolo believes that her legal education significantly aids her in navigating her role as Nanso president, particularly in advocating for the right to education, which is a constitutional right. “My understanding of the law and the government’s constitutional obligations to provide equal access to free education makes it very easy to hold the government accountable and demand more,” she added.

Reflecting on her law studies, Nangolo shared a significant lesson she plans to apply in her role with Nanso. “The most significant lesson I have learnt from law school is that advocacy becomes useless when we are not in touch with those we are trying to fight for. Engaging and being relatable to those we represent is crucial."

Despite facing challenges in balancing student politics with demanding coursework, she has managed to excel in both areas. “I had to critically evaluate my priorities and ensure that my academics came first,” she said.

In terms of role models, Nangolo looks up to her predecessor, Ndishishi. “Her resilience and dedication have always inspired me to lead and deliver in Nanso while maintaining academic excellence."

Outside her busy schedule, Nangolo enjoys catching up on much-needed sleep and spending time on the farm, either hunting or target shooting. She admitted to having little tolerance for individuals who are reluctant to do their part in a team. “I desire excellence in everything and from everyone,” she stated.

Guided by the philosophy “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” by Martin Luther King Jr, Nangolo said her proudest achievement so far is ascending to the highest office in student leadership as Nanso's third female president.

Her advice to other students aspiring to take on leadership roles while managing their academic commitments is simple yet profound.

“You must be willing to put in the extra hours and sacrifice your social life to ensure you are giving both aspects your best."