By: Samuel (Shines) Shinedima
There exists no pain more profound, nor grief more unbearable, than that endured by a parent forced to lay their child to rest. It is a sorrow that defies comprehension and shatters the very fabric of the human spirit. Today, that sorrow transcends the personal; it has become a collective national anguish. It is Namibian. It is ours.
Two innocent children, Ingrid Maasdorp and Roslin Ndinelao Fabian, both merely six years of age, were taken from this world in the most horrific and unconscionable manner. They were lured, betrayed, and brutally murdered—their lives extinguished before their dreams even had a chance to bloom.
In March, Ingrid vanished—her soft voice silenced, her body discarded with utter disregard for her dignity and humanity, as if her life meant nothing. Before the nation could begin to mourn her tragic loss, Roslin—vibrant and full of dreams—was also taken from the very same school that ought to have been a sanctuary.
These children were grievously failed—first by those who preyed upon them, then by the system and now by our silence.
Namibia must now confront an urgent and painful question: how many more?
These are not isolated incidents. They are the manifestation of a sinister, deliberate threat against our most vulnerable citizens. This is no longer a localised tragedy; it is a national emergency demanding immediate and resolute action.
Ingrid and Roslin were not mere statistics. They were not simply daughters. They were dreamers, future leaders, potential doctors, nurses, lawyers and educators. They embodied futures that could have reshaped this nation. Now, they are silent—and that silence indicts us all.
Meanwhile, their perpetrators roam freely, breathing the very air denied to those they so mercilessly killed. The families of these young victims are left to navigate an endless abyss of grief, clutching only to memories fragmented by unimaginable violence.
Where is the outrage?
Where is the justice?
Where is the urgency?
Namibia can no longer afford complacency. We cannot wait for the next name, the next innocent face, the next child stolen by evil. We must act. We must rise—not merely in mourning, but in unwavering determination.
Let our collective sorrow forge a shield for the next child. Let it ignite a national movement for real, tangible change. We demand secure learning environments. We demand a truly proactive and vigilant police force. We demand legal reforms that do not merely punish after the fact but protect before harm can occur. We demand communities that stand vigilant, that speak out boldly and without fear.
To the grieving families of Ingrid Maasdorp and Roslin Ndinelao Fabian—we grieve with you, we stand with you, and we carry your pain as a solemn national burden. Your daughters shall not be forgotten. Their names shall not be relegated to the passing pages of history; they shall live on as the very heartbeat of a movement for justice.
Let this be the defining moment when Namibia declares, with tears in its eyes but steel in its soul: Never again!
Samuel (Shines) Shinedima is a human rights lawyer, motivational musician, and businessman. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Namibia, a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communication from the University of Cape Town, and a certificate in Patent Law and Global Public Health from Harvard University. The views expressed are his own.
