Pain behind graduation gown

ONGWEDIVA – For many young graduates, obtaining a university degree represents the beginning of a brighter future. But for 28-year-old Pius Leonard from Oshindobe village along the Namibian Angolan border, graduation became the beginning of another difficult journey marked by hardship, sacrifice, and perseverance. Leonard graduated with a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Namibia (UNAM) in 2021 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, a period that left thousands of young graduates struggling to find employment opportunities.

Coming from a poor background, Leonard says he entered university with one goal in mind: to change not only his own life but also the situation at home. “Ever since I was young, I always wanted to become an engineer,” he said. Growing up in a disadvantaged family, Leonard understood the importance of education from an early age.

He completed his secondary education at Negumbo Senior Secondary School before pursuing his dream at Unam. However, after graduating, life did not unfold the way he had hoped. “After graduation, life became harsh.