His Excellency, Ambassador Hideaki Harada, urged the pair to work hard particularly as they conduct their research and to experience different aspects of Japanese culture. Dr Tjama Tjivikua, The NUST Vice-Chancellor, underscored the significance of utilising knowledge and experiences gained from other countries in developing Namibia.

Japan’s ABE initiative was launched in 2013, at the 5th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V), to support young Africans in developing effective skills and knowledge in various fields.

Shimhanda will do his Master’s degree in Space Engineering at the Kyushu Institute of Technology, whilst Ngatjizeko will pursue her Master’s degree in Agribusiness Management at the Tokyo University of Agriculture. Shimhanda expressed interest in boosting the space engineering sector in Namibia, and his hopes are for Namibia to launch its own satellite in the future. Ngatjizeko is determined to conduct a research on the impact of informal education on communal farmers in Namibia, with the hope that she can contribute towards sustainable development amongst Namibia’s rural communities .

The ceremony was also attended by Mr Shiro Nabeya, the Resident Representative of Japan’s International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Namibia Office, JICA, the implementing agency of the ABE Initiative, and Mr Ned Sibeya, the Chief Development Advisor of the National Planning Commission. To date, seven Namibians have benefited from the ABE Initiative.