Inspiring a generation of young Africans

Steven Bernadus /Hara#geib is passionate about youth voter education and inspiring the young Namibia and Africans to take part in civil society. The 29 year old holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from the University of Namibia (Unam). After he graduated he went on to South Africa...
Octavia Tsibes
Octavia Tsibes



Besides the social work, he is involved in motivational speaking and training men and boys how to respond to gender based violence and being agents of change.

He also hosts workshops and seminars for young leaders and is passionate about caring for marginalised and vulnerable young people.

“Currently, we are busy putting a strategy into place to make African youth more passionate about their continent. We want Pan-African youth to have the chance to pursue their master's degrees in different African countries, with the aim to expose them to different cultures and learning experiences,” he says. He believes that young people should take an active interest in rooting out corruption in their countries in order to ensure a better economic and political climate for the continent.

“We should mould young minds to be passionate about their continent,” he said.

His journey

Many young people are discouraged by their circumstances, well that does not ring true for Steven. He was born in Usakos and raised in Karibib.

“I was raised by my grandmother and she didn't understand why someone should be taught in English. When I started school I was taught in Khoekhoegowab,” he adds.

For his primary school education he moved to Windhoek went to Bet-el Primary School.

“For secondary school I was admitted at Jan Jonker where my love for caring for the community developed,” he said.

The school had a lot of social clubs that he was involved in.

These clubs made it a priority to give back to the community. It was through this involvement that he decided to study something that could make a difference in the lives of people and decided on social work.

He is currently serving as a One Young World Diplomat as well as the Southern African Commonwealth Youth Representative.

He received outstanding praises from the Preparing Global Leaders' Summit in Macedonia as well as the YALA citizen journalism programme in Jerusalem.

Comments

Namibian Sun 2024-11-24

No comments have been left on this article

Please login to leave a comment

Katima Mulilo: 20° | 34° Rundu: 21° | 36° Eenhana: 24° | 37° Oshakati: 24° | 35° Ruacana: 22° | 37° Tsumeb: 22° | 35° Otjiwarongo: 21° | 32° Omaruru: 21° | 36° Windhoek: 21° | 31° Gobabis: 22° | 33° Henties Bay: 15° | 19° Swakopmund: 15° | 17° Walvis Bay: 14° | 22° Rehoboth: 22° | 34° Mariental: 23° | 37° Keetmanshoop: 20° | 37° Aranos: 24° | 37° Lüderitz: 13° | 24° Ariamsvlei: 20° | 36° Oranjemund: 13° | 21° Luanda: 25° | 27° Gaborone: 19° | 35° Lubumbashi: 17° | 33° Mbabane: 17° | 34° Maseru: 17° | 32° Antananarivo: 17° | 30° Lilongwe: 22° | 32° Maputo: 21° | 35° Windhoek: 21° | 31° Cape Town: 16° | 21° Durban: 21° | 28° Johannesburg: 19° | 30° Dar es Salaam: 25° | 32° Lusaka: 20° | 31° Harare: 19° | 32° #REF! #REF!