Junior town councillors introduced
Eager to use their roles for good
Junior town councillors highlight their roles and expectations.
Sylvia ShapumbaWindhoek High School
Junior mayor
Shapumba said her election as the junior mayor is an achievement she is proud of. "I am humbled and honoured to be elected as the junior mayor of the City of Windhoek," she said.
As the previous head girl at her primary school, the new leadership position came naturally. She is excited to expand her knowledge regarding civic affairs.
Her hopes are to raise educational awareness amongst the youth and to conduct outreach activities "to educate, empower and promote community participation of young people on civic matters."
In her free time, Shapumba enjoys reading and writing, which is a hobby she recently picked up.
Shericka Shifonono
Augustineum Secondary School
Shifonono said she is pleased to be elected as a junior councillor and looks forward to upholding her duties as treasurer.
"The junior council has created many opportunities. I never thought I would stand in front of an audience and deliver a speech," Shifonono said.
According to her, there are a lot of opportunities in her new role.
Her message to the youth is that they are never too young to create change.
"Respect your education and always work hard for everything you want to achieve," she said.
Her favourite pastimes include reading novels and expanding her knowledge of human anatomy.
Yanessa de Oliveira
Concordia College
Deputy junior mayor
Oliveira is excited to represent Windhoek's youth.
"I am very grateful for the opportunity," she added.
She hopes to raise awareness to help reduce teenage pregnancies. Furthermore, she wants to contribute to keeping the city clean. She also wants to focus on the interests of youth in civil matters that affect them directly.
Her message to the youth is to never let their fears hold them back.
"Because a lot of the time, by simply overcoming that fear, you can achieve greatness," said De Oliveira.
She enjoys reading, listening to music, and singing because she loves expressing herself through her voice.
Christofina Magongo
Jan Môhr Secondary School
Junior council secretary
Magongo has a great passion for working with people. "Thus, my zeal is to create a better environment for the upcoming generation," said Magongo.
She said the youth council is a platform that provides young people with an opportunity to achieve impactful goals.
She hopes her role will teach her how to organise and encourage the participation of schools and the junior councillors. "My task is to communicate information to the junior council in the absence of the junior mayor."
Her message to the youth is to be deliberate in everything that you are passionate about.
Her favourite pastime activities include reading, doing robotics, and watching documentaries.