By: Mathias Hangala
Johanna Nandigolo Frans hails from Ukwaludi Village, known as Olukuma, in Omusati Region.
Unlike most children, Frans never attended kindergarten. In 2006, the same year she was supposed to start her education, her father who was meant to escort her across a floodplain area to school passed away.
Frans’ mother then opted to homeschool her instead for that formative period, as she had an educational background.
Frans then attended Tsandi Primary School between Grades 1 and 7, from 2007 to 2013.
She recalled that during Grade 1, her exceptional academic performance pleasantly surprised her teacher, who questioned where she had previously attended school.
“In between, my dad’s cousin came in and took me from my mother’s house. I was raised in their home, and her husband was very wise and brilliant. He instilled wisdom and values in me that a child can receive from an elder,” she explained.
Between 2014 and 2018, she attended Muala High School, where she completed Grades 8 to 12 while staying in the school hostel.
However, life there was not easy.
Aged 14, Frans endured bullying and name-calling from fellow learners. Despite the humiliation, she said the experience motivated her to work harder academically in order to earn respect.
She added that after some time she returned to live with her mother, following the passing of her guardian in 2017.
“My upbringing came from my guardian parents, my mother and my grandmother. My grandmother also passed away last year,” she said.
According to Frans, those who raised her taught her to respect everyone regardless of their background or possessions.
“They taught me that we are all created by God and that I should always try to tell the truth,” she said.
One lesson from her mother has remained deeply rooted in her life.
“My mother always warned me not to chase mirages. Things can appear shiny and attractive from a distance, but if you are not careful, you spend your whole life chasing things you can never catch,” she explained.
Her grandmother, she said, taught her responsibility and stewardship.
“She always told me to take care of what I have and what I am entrusted with, because through that, God is testing whether you are capable of handling greater blessings in the future,” Frans said.
She was also taught to value education as a tool for survival and independence, citing her family’s encouragement never to remain silent when witnessing wrongdoings or actions that conflict with her principles.
When it came to choosing a career path, Frans explained that her performance in subjects such as Life Science inspired one of her teachers to lend her a book titled Truth is Truth. The book later influenced her decision to pursue Political Science.
After completing Grade 12 in 2019, she then moved to Windhoek to pursue her studies.
However, due to financial challenges, the only accommodation she could secure was at her uncle’s bar on the outskirts of Otjomuise, where she lived for 18 months.
While staying there, she faced hardships, including stress, depression and inadequate sleep.
She recounted how she would sometimes faint or fall asleep during lessons, which negatively affected her academic performance.
As a result, the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) stopped funding her studies.
The difficulties coincided with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the University of Namibia (UNAM), where she had enrolled for a qualification in education, shifted to online learning.
Frans then decided to return home.
In 2021, she took a gap year. The following year, she babysat her niece to allow her sister to continue attending classes.
In 2023, Frans returned to UNAM, this time enrolling for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. During the same year, she managed to secure accommodation in a hostel.
Her perseverance eventually paid off when she graduated in April 2026. She is currently continuing with her honours degree.
Frans said her mother supported her emotionally and financially whenever possible, including selling livestock to help fund her education. One of her uncles also assisted by transporting her to and from school.
Reflecting on the challenges many students face, she suggested that government invests more in student accommodation.
“I think the only solution I can propose is for the government to provide more student housing facilities. That would lessen the burden of accommodation, especially for disadvantaged students,” she urged.
