Namibian dreams

By Frauke Jensen
BBC Focus On Africa Magazine, Namibia

Clifford Tudinyane's face launched the magazine 18 years ago

Clifford Tudinyane was only six years old when his face graced the front page of the first issue of BBC Focus on Africa magazine in celebration of Namibia independence in 1990.

Now at 24, he has chosen to study public relations management at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in South Africa instead.

Much has happened in his life since we first interviewed the young man in Gobabis, a town in eastern Namibia.

"Well, when I lost my elder sister and I just collapsed," said Clifford Tudinyane.

"My school marks were very bad and so after finishing school in 2003, I went back for more teaching to improve my marks," he added.

Clifford then went off to the Namibian capital Windhoek, where he studied travel and tourism management, before spreading his wings further to fulfil another dream - seeing Cape Town.

"I used to see Table Mountain on television and dream of going there one day.

"And then I was actually accepted for my current course and I've seen much more than that.

Cape Point, the West Coast - it's just amazing to get to see what you always dreamed of," he said.

Girls not included

The sporty Namibian enjoys playing cricket, football and basketball for his residence team and doesn't have much time for a girlfriend.

Clifford fulfilled his dream of living in South Africa

"It would just distract me from my studies and I only go out once or twice a month," he said.

Clifford says he has not experienced any animosity from South Africans for being a foreigner.

"I think my big advantage is that I am Tswana-speaking.

"I also speak Afrikaans and so I fit in very well."

Although his mother, who is a primary school teacher and four younger sisters miss him very much, ultimately he says he is very happy where he is.

"I want to return to Cape Town and get a good job in advertising, marketing or tourism here because I love this place and don't think I'll have the same kind of opportunities in Namibia," he said.

Frauke Jensen is the BBC African Service correspondent in Windhoek