The journey of Taati Niilenge

Journalist, writer and author, Taati Niilenge’s journey into the written word began in her childhood, long before she pursued a formal education in journalism. “I started writing when I was very young, even before I started studying journalism. When I was at school, I was already writing. I was forever stuck in my room writing.”

This early passion was not just a fleeting hobby but became part of her identity. She describes herself as someone who is very observant. “I would just sit and watch something, and then an idea would come to me, and I'd start writing. I like poetry and art. I think I began writing seriously when I was a teenager.”

Niilenge's dedication to her craft was evident even to her family. She recalls that her grandfather would come into her room and ask if someone was mistreating her. When she questioned why, he responded by inquiring about why she was always writing, wondering if they were suicide notes. She quickly set him at ease, saying she was writing stories.

Down the road, this curiosity turned into encouragement as her grandfather began to take an active interest in her stories. “He would ask me, so what's the next chapter? What happened to that girl? So, I started nurturing this whole writing thing, and my friends would be playing outside while I was still writing.”

Her grandmother, too, noticed her relentless pursuit of storytelling. “Sometimes my grandmother would send me out of her room to go play and socialise, but I would refuse and say, ‘I'm not going to play. I'm writing something for my next chapter’.”

By the time Niilenge reached university, her path was clear, emphasising that she already knew that she wanted to be a journalist.

At university, Niilenge collaborated with other women to compile a book titled Between Yesterday and Tomorrow. “We wrote about women's issues in Namibia, covering different tribes and topics like gender-based violence, gender inequality, and early marriages.”

This collaboration marked the beginning of a series of impactful works, including a book on HIV/AIDS.

Beyond her written skills, Niilenge's passion for education and community development shines through. “I love children. I have an education centre behind my house where I recruit youth to teach young minds after school.”

It was at this centre that she met Pewa, a young girl whose curiosity sparked a new project. “She came in one day and asked me, 'When will you write your next story?' She showed me a book I had written, and it was a revelation. We decided to write about her experiences, and thus, Pewa's Ocean Adventures was born.”

This story, capturing Pewa's encounters with the ocean and its creatures, became immensely popular. “We decided that it was not enough. We went on with Pewa's Namibian Safari, which speaks about the Namibian desert, Swakopmund, and Walvis Bay,” Niilenge said.

Niilenge's inspiration often comes from her faith and reflections on life. “I'm a Christian, and one day, I was at the beach during a stormy day. I saw a little boat struggling in the waves and thought about the storms of life. God said to me, 'weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning'. The next day, the waters were calm, and I saw dolphins jumping.”

This became the foundation for her book, The Still Small Voice.

Despite her accomplishments, Niilenge felt her work was unfinished. “I had a dream where a pastor told me I wasn't done. He gave me a list of 10 titles, and I began working on a new book titled ‘The Plan’. This book contains testimonies of how God has plans to prosper us, even through life's storms.

Niilenge's storytelling extended to her community's history with Walvis Bay. Highlighting that she realised that young people in Walvis Bay do not know where they come from. “My grandparents used to tell me stories about the old location, and I decided to write about the elderly residents to capture the town's history, preserving it for future generations”.

Reflecting on her work, Niilenge is surprised by her own journey. She recalls that she never liked history as a subject in her school years. “I ended up writing a history book. It just goes to show that our passions can lead us to unexpected and fulfilling places,” Niilenge stated.

Through her writing, Taati Niilenge has not only shared her personal journey but has also touched the lives of many in her community, providing a voice to their stories and a record of their heritage.

Her dedication to storytelling, education, and her faith continues to inspire and empower many young souls.