Girls Who Grew Up to LeadChapter 10 of 15

Chapter 10

Accused Number One

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Namibia

Map showing Namibia

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s swearing-in as president, March 21, 2025.

Video from NBC (Namibian Broadcasting Corporation), in English. Open it on YouTube

Also worth a look: AP report, from AP Archive.

Think about it

She fought for freedom from a government that denied people rights. Today, some groups say her government doesn’t give them the rights they want. How do you think she would answer them? How would they answer her?

More questions from this chapter
  1. Fourteen. At 14, Netumbo joined a movement that could get her arrested. Would you join a cause that risky at your age? What would it have to be about?
  2. Stay or go. After her trial, with her friends publicly flogged, she left everything she knew for exile. Was leaving the brave choice, or would staying have been braver?

Your turn: Is there an unfair rule or situation where you live that you’d like to change? What’s one small first step you could take?

For parents and teachers: these videos come from news organizations and official channels. You may want to watch first with younger readers.