Assistant sport producer: Castro Uulumbu

Born with a love for sports, assistant sport producer Castro Uulumbu never imagined he would end up in journalism. "I fell in love with sports at an early age when I played football in the streets," he said.

"The plan was not to become a journalist or a producer because, in our communities, you are only considered successful if you are a doctor, a lawyer, etc."

Uulumbu's career took a turn in 2019 when he started as an all-round journalist covering community, environment and education reporting.

"I realised there was a piece missing on the news bulletin, and with my passion for sport, I decided to move into sports journalism," he explained.

Uulumbu's day begins early, with a keen eye on social media for trending sports news and breaking stories.

"I read sports articles by fellow colleagues to familiarise myself with current happenings in the industry," he said. Depending on the day's focus, he targets specific sports codes to book interviews, conduct research and script stories, while working closely with editors to ensure comprehensive coverage.

In addition to his regular duties, Uulumbu stands in as a producer for the football programme, 'Soccer Pitch', which airs live on NBC 1 every Thursday at 19:00. "We tackle local football news and issues around the country," he said.

For Uulumbu, the most exciting aspect of his job is engaging with sports stars who represent Namibia on international stages. He said he also finds joy in covering community sports stories, highlighting informal sports and interviewing future stars and event organisers in informal settlements.

Despite his passion, Uulumbu faces significant challenges in his role, particularly the lack of access to information, he said.

However, he noted that his dedication and hard work have not gone unnoticed. He has been nominated twice at the Namibia Sport Awards in 2021 and 2022 in the Journalist of the year category. In 2023, he achieved a Top 10 Africa Ranking, coming in sixth place at the AIPS Sport Media Awards.

Covering international matches, including Brave Warriors World Cup qualifier matches and the Netball Africa Pent Series, stand out as some of his career highlights, he said.

But Uulumbu's career is dotted with memorable moments, such as meeting football legend Nemanja Vidic during the Champions League trophy tour and Roger Federer, one of the greatest tennis players in the world. "These encounters were surreal and unforgettable," he recalled.

For those aspiring to enter the field of sports journalism and production, Uulumbu urged dedication, hard work and innovation.

"It makes it easier when you are passionate about sports," he said. "Be ready to learn every day."

He further added that balancing work and personal life can be challenging, especially during busy sports seasons. Uulumbu believes in making the most of every minute off work. "Sport never ends. When one season ends, the next starts."

Outside of work, he enjoys watching sports and spending time with friends. "I make time for social gatherings with my friends since we don’t get much time together because of work commitments," he said.