Benjamin Shikusho-Namibia

My Journey with WE BELONG: Turning Pain into Purpose

My name is Benjamin Pandureni Shikusho. I’m a 20-year-old blind man from Rundu, Namibia, dedicated to youth empowerment and social work. In 2023, I earned my Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary Level, which built my foundation and fueled my drive for more. Right now, I’m not in school, but my path is clear: NSSCAS in the medium term, then a degree in Social Work long-term. This isn’t random. I want to help people overcome their challenges because I’ve lived through so many myself.

image of Benjamin Shikusho, wearing black shades, white t-shirt with red lines, he appears to be smilling facin slight right with his head slanted slighly towards the right aswell

My self-training keeps me sharp too. I completed Life Skills and Entrepreneurship seminars in March and May 2024. These gave me tools to lead groups and handle the emotional side of community work.

Leadership and My Story

Acceptance, Honesty, and Creative Expression guide me. I’m a good listener with real passion, and I thrive in collaborative groups focused on positive change without judgment.

Being visually impaired has shown me exclusion’s damage up close. I faced bullying in church, school, and community, places that should feel safe. Stigma and invisibility hit hard. That’s why I’m building WE BELONG, a non-judgmental space. It’s personal. Listening to peers, I’ve seen how suppressing emotions leads to isolation. Music and art became my outlets, saying what words can’t under pressure.

Core Values: Acceptance, Honesty, Creative Expression, Accessibility.
Strengths: Listening, Passion, Empathetic Collaboration.
Mission: Create safe, accessible spaces for youth to build mental resilience and live without fear of judgment.

Training at Tyrone Havnar Foundation: The Game-Changer

My breakthrough came through the Lead Without Limits program at Tyrone Havnar Foundation, designed for blind participants like me. This cohort equipped me with vital skills in governance, stakeholder mapping, and sustainability planning. It transformed WE BELONG from a personal passion into a structured, scalable initiative ready to deliver real, lasting change for Rundu’s youth. The training’s focus on leadership without barriers directly fueled our launch, proving that targeted support can turn lived challenges into community-wide impact.

Why Lead Without Limits Matters

This program was the crucial next step, ensuring WE BELONG is built on professional foundations. With these tools, we are positioned for sustainability and deeper community reach.

Project Overview: WE BELONG

Slogan: Taking Up Space

Summary: WE BELONG is an arts-based program for young adults (16+) in Rundu, Namibia. It’s fully inclusive for those with disabilities, mental health struggles, or isolation. We use music, poetry, dance, film, plus life education on sexual health, rights, and financial literacy for healing and strength. Our aim: steer youth from crime, fight suicide thoughts, and build tolerance.

banner with Banjamin Shikusho and his proposed beneficiariesa, a group of 3 African young man, one is being assisted with readin on a gadget he appears visually impared, one is abled, and one has walking clutches. In the banner there are bold worlds written in black, saying "WE BELONG" that is the organizations name

Problem: Youth lack safe spaces to express tough emotions, trapped by judgment, discrimination, and bullying. This kills creativity, harms mental health, and stalls growth.

Beneficiaries: Youth 16+ in Rundu, especially the isolated, those with mental illness, or disabilities.

Vision: A society where every young person expresses freely, building resilient, inclusive communities.

Mission: Deliver creative hubs with art, education, and partnerships for belonging, wellness, and empowerment.

Type: Social Initiative / Non-Profit Foundation.

My Drive

Bullying across church, school, and community pushed me here. I turn that pain into purpose, creating spaces to process emotions and prevent isolation.

Change I Want: Shift from stigma to inclusion, better mental health, less crime, especially for those with layered challenges.

My Connection: My visual impairment and bullying history make this real. Solutions come from lived empathy.