Bright shining star of passion

Bright shining star of passion Sharnay Botha is the project coordinator on the most extensive educational programme Namibia has ever seen. Jeanette Diergaardt

A tale of books and brains

The newest teammate in one of the biggest media teams goes by the name of Sharnay Botha. She is the project coordinator on the most extensive educational programme Namibia has ever seen.

With a master’s degree as a kinderkinetisict in the gross motor development of children, Botha is proof that the path we set out for ourselves is not always the path that we take at the end of the day.

Her passion and love for children, however, remains the same and only received an extension and bigger meaning than what she could ever have imagined.

“When Covid-19 hit Namibia, I immediately asked myself what about the children and their education,” Botha said as she explained how her involvement with the project came about.

“When I heard about what Namibia Media Holdings (NMH) is planning, I immediately wanted to be a part of it.”

When asked what her job entails, she said the process starts with getting content and liaising with teachers about the school curriculum.

“This content then gets approved by the National Institute for Educational Development (NIED) to ensure that it meets all the standards and that it is inclusive for all Namibian children. After that, the content goes to graphic designers who bring a creative element to the mix. The books get translated in eight languages and continue to go through a thorough quality and spell check,” she said.

“While the books are distributed countrywide to reach as many learners and teachers as possible through NMH’s distribution channels, it simultaneously gets recorded in the NMH studios with a teacher and sign teacher present at all times.”

Throughout this process, Botha remains the middleman through and with whom everyone works.

“To know that a child who has nothing, schools without resources, the reassurance that they get the resources; and investing in the future of these children and knowing that this project will have a ripple effect for the best is what keeps me motivated.”

Through her studies and research as a kinderkineticist, Botha has added extra value in underlining the importance that children should learn through play for holistic well-being.

As the education project grows, the Namibian child is empowered.