Namafu Amutse

Her mother, a teacher herself, inspired Namafu’s path into education. But it is clear that her classroom extends far beyond four walls. She pours herself into her learners just as she pours herself into her passions — storytelling, photography, creative writing, and most recently, crochet. “I just love creating with my hands,” she says, a quiet smile in her voice.

At her core, Namafu is a documentarian of the soul. She does not just take pictures or string words together. She amplifies voices. And it is that instinct that brought her winning reel, Unexpected Namibia, to life.

For the campaign’s final challenge, finalists were asked to create a short video revealing a side of Namibia that defies stereotypes. Namafu’s lens turned toward small-scale mining communities — hardworking people often unseen and unheard, working in difficult conditions yet filled with hope. “I wanted to highlight their humanity and resilience,” she explains. “To zoom in on the everyday heroes who carry the weight of their communities.”

Her reel, self-filmed and self-edited, is raw and moving. But it is not just the visuals — it is the perspective. “This challenge reminded me that before you tell a story, you must first listen,” she says. “Powerful narratives centre people, not just images.”

For Namafu, being Namibian means resilience. It means carrying your roots wherever you go. It means seeing value not only in landscapes, but in the people who walk them — the ones who keep showing up for their communities, day after day, without applause.

When asked what she hopes people feel when they experience her content, her answer is simple and profound. “I hope they feel seen. I hope they feel inspired. And I hope they feel the heartbeat of Namibia.”

As the new Face of FlyNamibia, Namafu does not just want to take people on journeys. She wants to take them on experiences. Not surface-level snapshots, but deeper stories that reveal who we truly are. “It is about showing the layers, the complexity, the beauty that lies just beneath the obvious.”

To young Namibians watching her rise, she leaves this message. “Just do it. Don’t wait. Don’t let fear or doubt hold you back. Your dreams are worth fighting tooth and nail for.”

Namafu’s win is more than a title. It is a launchpad for stories, for connection, and for daring to dream. And now, with the wind beneath her wings, she is ready to help Namibia’s stories take flight.