13/04/2023
: TRIUMPH over ADVERSITY
Have you triumphed above a seemingly impossible situation in your life or work? What has this taught you?
I would like to celebrate with you by congratulating Kalenga Hamunyela's dream of finishing his Masters Thesis and Degree from HMKW, University in Applied Sciences in Berlin on Blockchain Technology and Digital Marketing. This truly is a Triumph over Adversity story. Kalenga is such an inspiration of hope, resilience, courage, and love for learning and life.
Kalenga, 30yrs old, of the Ovambo Tribe in Namibia has had no easy road to life or graduating.
He was finishing up a double honours University Degree in Theatre and Marketing when I met him in Nambia Feb. 2020, while I was researching the Himba and San Tribes. Shy, deep listening, warm, kind, says thank-you, lived simply, ate only once per day, lived in a small room and his life and schoolwork was all done on his phone.
At 7 years old, he survived a car accident where his parents were killed. Orphaned, his family would not take him in. He became a street kid sleeping under bridges, eating out of dustbins until 11 yrs old.
He said to me … the people who put their left-over food in the dustbin didn’t know how GRATEFUL I was.’ GRATEFULNESS now took on a new meaning for me.
A lady said to him one day, ‘you should be going to school’ and took him in. Starting school at 11yrs with children of 5 and 6yrs was no easy task. He was bullied, called names left him depressed at times. Feeling hopeless he attempted su***de with a very deadly poison and survived.
The lady passed away, leaving him homeless again. Again, feeling hopeless, before graduating high school, he tried and failed to hang himself. He picked himself up and started selling clothes online to survive.
For the first 2 years at the University of Namibia, he lived in a room in a prison. He would walk 6 hours, there and back to University limiting the amount of classes he could attend. Desperate, Kalenga submitted his story to the newspaper. The Dean of the University read it, reached out to him and gave him accommodation. He catapulted up the ladder of education graduating with honours.
His next dream was applying to several European Universities, whereby 7 accepted him for a Master’s Degrees in Digital Marketing and Public Relations. But, how to pay for this? I said, let’s do a Go Fund Me Page. We did and a couple in the Netherlands saw this, reached out to him and gave him a full 2-year scholarship. Now he is graduating!
I have heartfeltly watched this shy, orphaned guy blossom into a mature, confident, caring, elegant, out-spoken well-dressed man who travels the world, and manifests big dreams.
Kalenga’s impressive story of Triumphing over Adversity needs to be shared. Dreams do come true. It takes guts, courage and hope.
He has inspired and taught me what true Gratefulness is…and more.
What have others taught you?
Kalenga’s motto: ‘Life is a Gift, Never Give Up.’
: TRIUMPH over ADVERSITY
Have you triumphed above a seemingly impossible situation in your life or work? What has this taught you?
I would like to celebrate with you by congratulating Erastus Kalenga Hamunjela’s dream of finishing his Masters Thesis and Degree from HMKW, University in Applied Sciences in Berlin on Blockchain Technology and Digital Marketing. This truly is a Triumph over Adversity story. Kalenga is such an inspiration of hope, resilience, courage, and love for learning and life.
Kalenga, 30yrs old, of the Ovambo Tribe in Namibia has had no easy road to life or graduating.
He was finishing up a double honours University Degree in Theatre and Marketing when I met him in Nambia Feb. 2020, while I was researching the Himba and San Tribes. Shy, deep listening, warm, kind, says thank-you, lived simply, ate only once per day, lived in a small room and his life and schoolwork was all done on his phone.
At 7 years old, he survived a car accident where his parents were killed. Orphaned, his family would not take him in. He became a street kid sleeping under bridges, eating out of dustbins until 11 yrs old.
He said to me … the people who put their left-over food in the dustbin didn’t know how GRATEFUL I was.’ GRATEFULNESS now took on a new meaning for me.
A lady said to him one day, ‘you should be going to school’ and took him in. Starting school at 11yrs with children of 5 and 6yrs was no easy task. He was bullied, called names left him depressed at times. Feeling hopeless he attempted su***de with a very deadly poison and survived.
The lady passed away, leaving him homeless again. Again, feeling hopeless, before graduating high school, he tried and failed to hang himself. He picked himself up and started selling clothes online to survive.
For the first 2 years at the University of Namibia, he lived in a room in a prison. He would walk 6 hours, there and back to University limiting the amount of classes he could attend. Desperate, Kalenga submitted his story to the newspaper. The Dean of the University read it, reached out to him and gave him accommodation. He catapulted up the ladder of education graduating with honours.
His next dream was applying to several European Universities, whereby 7 accepted him for a Master’s Degrees in Digital Marketing and Public Relations. But, how to pay for this? I said, let’s do a Go Fund Me Page. We did and a couple in the Netherlands saw this, reached out to him and gave him a full 2-year scholarship. Now he is graduating!
I have heartfeltly watched this shy, orphaned guy blossom into a mature, confident, caring, elegant, out-spoken well-dressed man who travels the world, and manifests big dreams.
Kalenga’s impressive story of Triumphing over Adversity needs to be shared. Dreams do come true. It takes guts, courage and hope.
He has inspired and taught me what true Gratefulness is…and more.
What have others taught you?
Kalenga’s motto: ‘Life is a Gift, Never Give Up.’
