-
Eight members of the Municipality of Walvis Bay’s Junior Council are preparing to represent Walvis Bay and Namibia on the international stage after being selected to participate in the prestigious 2026 Youth Ambassadors Africa (YA-AF) Programme in the United States of America.
The three-week exchange programme, which takes place from 8 to 30 July 2026, is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It brings together young leaders and adult mentors from across sub-Saharan Africa to strengthen leadership skills, promote civic engagement, and foster participatory democracy through educational, cultural and community-based experiences.
The selected Junior Councillors are:
The group will be accompanied by Shirley Tjaveondja, Personal Assistant to the Mayor, who was selected as the adult mentor and chaperone for the Namibian delegation.
Ahead of their departure, the young ambassadors paid a courtesy visit to Mayor, Cllr. Johannes Shimbilinga, who congratulated them on their outstanding achievement and wished them well for the journey ahead.
Mayor Shimbilinga expressed his pride in the group, describing their selection as a remarkable accomplishment and a testament to the calibre of young leaders being nurtured through the Walvis Bay Junior Council programme. He encouraged the learners to seize every opportunity to learn, grow and build lasting international friendships.
“You are representing not only the Municipality of Walvis Bay, but also Namibia, and I urge you to conduct yourselves with integrity, humility and pride throughout the visit. Make the most of every opportunity, learn from those you meet, share your own experiences with confidence, and return home inspired to make an even greater contribution to your schools, your community and our country,” said Mayor Shimbilinga.
During the programme, participants will travel to Alabama, New York, Vermont and Washington, D.C., where they will engage in leadership development, community service, cultural exchange and educational activities with fellow participants from across Africa and the United States. They will also experience American family life through homestays, collaborate on civic engagement projects and explore innovative approaches to community leadership.
Notably, this is the first time since the inception of the Youth Ambassadors Africa Programme that all the selected youth participants from Namibia come from one town, highlighting the strength and impact of the Walvis Bay’s Junior Council programme.
In a generous show of support for youth development, Freddie Fish Processors donated N$5,000 in pocket money to each of the eight Junior Councillors travelling to the United States. The donation was presented by Managing Director Wayne Hart and General Manager Yvette Greef, who extended their best wishes to the learners as they embark on this life-changing opportunity.
The Municipality of Walvis Bay extends its sincere appreciation to Freddie Fish Processors for investing in the development of the town’s future leaders and helping to ensure that the participants can fully enjoy and benefit from their international experience.
We congratulate the Junior Councillors for this remarkable opportunity and wish them a safe journey and every success as they proudly represent Walvis Bay and Namibia on the global stage.