From Guard to NUST Graduate
…a story of sheer determination
Meet Abel Mubita, a man with grit as unshakeable as the Zambezi River, a river very familiar to him. Born and raised in the Zambezi Region of Namibia, Abel’s life might have looked like a simple story at first glance: a security guard merely going about his daily duties of manning the NUST main campus grounds. But behind that unassuming uniform is a story of profound determination and overdue dreams that were never abandoned.
Abel diligently saved each dollar he had earned since 2015, knowing that one day he would put on graduation attire. Indeed, the 31-year-old had bigger plans. He wanted to be a student at NUST, to walk the corridors not only in his capacity as a guard, but as someone who was soaking in knowledge. He would often catch sight of his former high school classmates enrolled as students. Each time he watched them, a spark ignited within him: "Why not me?" he asked.
Determined to turn his dream into a reality, Abel took a brave step. He paid for his first year out of his pocket, working tirelessly at his security shifts, then diving into his studies after hours. He knew what he was after, and he understood that perseverance is the fuel for any meaningful journey. He applied for a loan from the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF), which granted him the funds to complete his studies.
“When you start to study, do not stop until you have reached your final destination,” he says with a humble smile. “If you take a gap year, you break the cycle of perseverance.”
He is the first in his family to earn a degree, and that brings him as much pride as anything else. “None of my family members have obtained a degree. I am the first to put that smile on my mother’s face,” he reflects. And that smile? It is a beacon for his younger brothers and sisters, proof that they too can rise above their circumstances.
On Friday, 11 October 2024, during NUST’s Spring graduation, Abel graduated with a Bachelor of Criminal Justice in Policing from the Department of Social Sciences . The curriculum for this programme is purposefully designed to provide students with a coherent and systematic introduction to the broad theories and problem-solving techniques within the field of criminal justice, with specific emphasis on competencies and standards for effective policing.
