Namibia: *Sarahes

The Gender Links program started in our village Berseba in the year 2012 and I am thankful for madam Sarry Xoagus for thinking about us and implementing the program here in our town. We started with the “I story” on the 07/10/2013 and it was difficult expressing one’s life journey in writing as this was a first time for me to write and even talk. It is here that things started looking different already being able to share what has been heavy on the heart all this time brought nothing but relief in my soul.

I am very happy to have had the opportunity of being part of the training as I learned a lot that is life changing. I never in my life thought that programs of nature will show that brings to the fore a person’s worth, there were many challenges because the community misunderstood the program but I overcame.

I am now 52 years old with three children of whom I lost one in 2005 in a tragic death as he was shot by a security guard because of a girlfriend; I also have a granddaughter who is married now. I worked at the ELCN hostel for 22 years and earned a low salary. I am very proud that before the program came I became an agent for the Avon Justine Company and Watkins Values selling their cosmetics, it is here that I learned how to do business but didn’t know much on financial management.

I am now a business woman, I attended all the entrepreneurship workshops and happy that someone like Fabiaan Sampaya was facilitating the workshop in such a easy and flexible way for our understanding and the councilors where there to assist where we couldn’t understand.

My husband understood what Gender Links means and now supports me. I still experience violence from my second son as he drinks a lot and uses drug at the age of 17. My future plans are to start a business and be able to employ people in the community and by 2030 I should be a leading and outstanding business woman.