Ndayola Ulenga, award-winning Namibian theatremaker, to pursue master's at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art

Ulenga, who describes music as her first language, honed her craft through ballet and drama from a young age. After earning a bachelor of social science degree with a major in drama and a postgraduate diploma in management and marketing from the University of Cape Town, she initially worked in marketing and advertising while seeking opportunities in the arts. Her career has since flourished, with her filmography including 'The Funeral' and 'Penda’s Dilemma'.

She gained significant recognition with 'Stories from Childhood', later reworked into 'Koko', a semi-autobiographical solo performance that explores her Namibian identity and family history, presented in collaboration with Owela Live Arts Collective Trust. Ulenga recently participated in the International Forum at the Berliner Festspiele’s Theatertreffen, the world’s largest German-language theatre festival, where she noted the primary difference between Namibian and German theatremakers was resources, not talent. She aims to use her upcoming studies at Lamda to advocate for Namibian and African artists on an international stage, emphasizing the importance of stories as natural resources for national development.

Ulenga is curren