New Board for Chevening Alumni Society elected
Namibian alumni who studied under Britain’s Chevening scholarship system came together earlier in the month week to elect a new board for the Chevening Alumni Society of Namibia.
The new board comprises Vicktoria Matjila as chairperson, Phanuel Kaapama as vice chair, Abelene Boer as secretary, Martha Talamondjila as treasurer and Bertha Amakali and Bisey Uirab as ordinary members.
The society consists of all Namibian Chevening alumni, and involves networking and offering alumni-led solutions to various social, economic and development issues. Chevening scholarships offer potential future leaders the opportunity to study for a post-graduate qualification in the United Kingdom. Upon their return home, they become a member of the 60-strong Namibian Chevening alumni community. The newly elected chairperson of the board, Chief Inspector Victoria Matjila stated “I trust that together with our members’ profound ideas, we will come up with inspiring programmes that will encourage as well as assist young academics to develop themselves professionally and follow in our footsteps as role models. I am of the opinion that right now, we as the alumni, are one of the best resources our country has to help educate Namibians to learn, and grab every opportunity presented to them.”
Some prominent Namibian Chevening alumni are Chief Justice Peter Shivute, former Swapo Youth League Secretary General Elias Ngurare, NBC producer Kazembire Zemberuka, PowerCom CEO Alisa Amupolo, the CEO of the Lüderitz Waterfront, Fluksman Samuehl, the former CEO of the Namibia Airports Company Benjamin Biwa, Adv. Deidre Sauls, and the director of the Namibia Financial Intelligence Unit, Leonie Dunn. The application cycle for Namibians to apply for the 2017/18 British Government scholarship programme Chevening will close on 8 November. Two of these scholarships will be jointly funded by Chevening and the Petroleum Training and Education Fund (Petrofund). Currently nine Namibians are studying in the UK under the Chevening scholarship programme.
