Educating young Namibians via podcast
Using her voice and experience to help others
Driven by her desire to empower young Namibians, Selma Iyambo is pursuing a journalism degree and launched the 'Sex Talks' podcast to educate young Namibians about their sexual reproductive health and rights.
Selma Iyambo was born in Okahao and raised by her grandparents in Uukwalumbe village before moving to Windhoek to complete her primary and secondary education.Iyambo credits her grandmother as a significant influence in her life.
"She raised me. She is a role model because of the way she looks at life and how she is always about helping the next person and building a community where we all exist as one. She has one of the purest and greatest hearts, in my opinion, because she is always prepared to provide a helping hand. She is a mother and a pillar of strength to people in our village and surrounding villages."
A voice
Iyambo is currently pursuing her honours in media studies at the University of Namibia and recently spoke to The Zone about her podcast called ‘Sex Talks’.
"The podcast came about after I sat down with myself and tried to figure out what I could do to help other young people."
After amassing over five years of experience working in the sexual reproductive health and rights sector as an ambassador for Her Voice Fund for Namibia, she wondered how she could use her skills to benefit young people.
The 21-year-old realised journalism could serve as a means to accomplish her goals, and she decided to pursue it as a degree. By combining her expertise and knowledge, she also felt ready to start the podcast, which she believes allows her to make a difference in the community and pursue her passion at the same time.
Challenges
"Bringing it to life was quite difficult because you understand the vision that you see, but you need to bring it to reality for the next person to understand what you're talking about."
Selma had to decide on a number of things: the name of the podcast, the guests, scheduling studio time, scripts and so on.
"What was most difficult about it all is that it speaks about sexual health, which most of us in society consider to be a taboo subject to discuss."
Hot topic
Sexual health is a sensitive and often taboo subject that many find uncomfortable discussing – it often sparks debate, as some individuals may object to sex advocates prioritising the education of young people on sexual health.
"Making the next person understand that it is more than just teaching their children how to have sex; we actually aim to empower people with this information rather than forcing them to have sex."
Iyambo said major challenges for a podcase involve gathering resources, ensuring consistent episodes, and guaranteeing that the content genuinely connects with young audiences.
Reaching everyone
Iyambo envisions a future in which podcasts about sexual health are available in native languages.
"Currently, we can only provide this in English, but I want it to expand because what about other young people in rural areas? How will people obtain this information if they are not competent in English, despite the fact that it is our official language? What about those who only speak their original languages?"
Iyambo also hopes to reach a wide audience, despite the fact that many lack the necessary resources to listen to podcasts.
Listen
"If you need sexual health services or information, please go out and look for it. Listen to my podcast as well as seek these services from a health provider. Do not be ashamed of it because it is part of your basic human rights; failing to seek them will result in health problems," Iyambo said.
Finally, Iyambo advised the youth to pursue their dreams and knock on as many doors as possible in order to bring their visions to life.
Interesting fact
Iyambo experiences globophobia, which is an extreme, overwhelming, and irrational fear of balloons. "Not the sight of balloons, but rather the fear of them popping," she explained.