馃嚦馃嚘NamibiaSouthern Africa
Namibia confident of wrestling medals at African Continental Championships in Egypt
via The Namibian6 min read
Namibia is optimistic about its wrestlers securing medals at the African Continental Championships in Alexandria, Egypt, from April 27 to May 4. Eight Namibian wrestlers will compete, with the Namibia Sports Commission chief administrator, Freddy Mwiya, expressing confidence in their preparation and talent. The commission fully funded the team's travel, accommodation, and meals, totaling N$291,700, as part of the N$5 million allocated to the Podium Performance Athletes project. Mwiya highlighted senior woman wrestler Ester Abraham, who is training in Ivory Coast under an Olympic Solidarity Scholarship, as a formidable athlete. The Namibia Wrestling Federation secretary general, Anke Erasmus, noted the selection of promising U17 junior and senior athletes, including 2023 African champion Calvin Dreyer, Lazarus Haimbodi, and Virinao Nguatjiti. The team will be guided by national coach Luis Paz and supported by coach Kevin Vleermuis, with Erika Theron as referee and Erasmus as team manager. Namibia aims to build on its three bronze medals from 2025, a result of the NWF's strategic plan and intensified Elite Training Programme. The U17 team will also compete in beach wrestling, preparing for the Youth Olympic Games in Senegal later this year. Abraham is working towards potential qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Fatima Mustapha, an award-winning tech innovator, is dedicated to empowering women and youth in Nigeria to address climate change through technology and sustainable practices. Witnessing the impact of climate change on vulnerable communities, she co-founded the Future Prowess Foundation in 2007. The foundation focuses on bridging inequality gaps by providing access to digital skills, climate education, and economic opportunities, particularly for women, youth, and refugees. Mustapha's approach integrates green farming, digital empowerment, and innovative agricultural solutions, including training in climate-smart agriculture and advancing plant tissue culture to improve crop yield and resilience. She has trained over 500 women in digital skills, recognizing technology's role in unlocking economic opportunities. Despite challenges like limited technical infrastructure and reliance on traditional farming methods, Mustapha emphasizes building trust, continuous training, and demonstrating concrete impacts. Her work has shown positive results in communities across Maiduguri and other parts of Borno state, where demonstration farms helped overcome initial resistance to modern farming techniques. Mustapha aims to scale this integrated approach across Nigeria and Africa, fostering a network of youth-led, technology-driven climate solutions.
Young Namibian men are susceptible to financial exploitation due to economic hardship and unequal power dynamics, with societal expectations preventing them from seeking help, according to University of Namibia senior sociology lecturer Ellison Tjirera. Tjirera notes that some older women, referred to as 'sugar mummies', exploit young men struggling with basic needs, and wealthy men also target young men. He emphasizes that the core issue is power imbalance, not gender, and that economic realities like rent, tuition, and living expenses push young men into these situations. Mental health advocate Elago Nantana states there are no statistics on the 'blesser' phenomenon involving young men because society expects them to be strong and self-reliant, leading them to remain silent. Nantana argues this issue is a predictable outcome of economic design, not a failure of young men. He adds that young men are often not seen as victims, especially when money or survival is involved, and feel marginalized, believing gender-based violence responses focus solely on women and girls. Nantana suggests Namibia improve awareness and mental health services by providing protective shelters for all genders, as male survivors often lack access. 4x4 Boys Initiative founder Sidney Boois advocates for sustained male engagement programs, better counselling, anonymous reporting systems, and public education on constitutional rights to ensure accountability for perpetrators.
South African entrepreneurs Sbusiso Leope, known as DJ Sbu, and Sheldon Tatchell are scheduled to arrive in Namibia on Friday to headline the sixth edition of the Business Summit Namibia in Windhoek on Saturday. Summit founder Martin Nankela stated that the event will serve as a premier networking platform for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and innovators. DJ Sbu is the founder of MoFaya, and Tatchell is the chief executive of Legends Barbershop, which has expanded to over 80 stores. Leope is also a social entrepreneur, DJ, radio and television host, music producer, and author. The summit's theme is 'Building Scalable and Formidable Businesses Through Disciplined Execution and Tireless Commitment'. It will feature local and international speakers, panel discussions, business exhibitions, and networking opportunities. Local speakers include Standard Bank Namibia executive Hellen Amupolo, Hannah Nangula, founder and chief executive of Hannah Nangula Cosmetics, and RFC Creative Agency chief executive Reggie Zaire. The focus of one segment is information sharing, digital skills, smart banking, and business compliance to help local small and medium enterprises SMEs scale and create jobs. Past summits have featured prominent South African entrepreneurs, including Connie Ferguson in 2025 and Theo Baloyi, founder of Bathu Shoes, in 2024.