13-year-old Mathew Tangeni Haipare has become Africa's youngest Black Belt Karateka, while his instructor Shihan Simba Kizito Mangaba passed a coaching course with flying colours. 

Haipare and Mangaba who are from the Namibia Kyokushin Karate Dojo just returned from Tunisia where they attended an international training seminar,  which included an instructors course, referees course and a Black Belt grading ceremony.

Kyokushin Karate specialises in stand up martial arts, which is full contact martial arts. 

Haipare, who has been doing Karate for about 7 years, says he is humbled by his accomplishments. 

"It was so fast cause i thought that i was going for a training seminar , when i found out that i was going to be graded i was so shocked cause i thought that i was just going for training" Haipare said.

Following his achievement, he was selected to represent Namibia in the  Kyokushin World Union African Championship that will be held from the 2nd to the 5th of November in Tunisia. 

His couldn't couldn't hide his excitement over his protégé's success.

Shihan Simba Kizito Mangaba said "With his Black belt he has given us a boost to do more , we have a lot of work to do especially now that we have qualified for the all African games , so it's just for us to plough plough and train and make sure that by the time that we go there it's just tip top for Gold Medal".

Their trip was made possible by Green Enterprise Solutions. 

" We feel privileged to assist the youth who are the future workforce and our company stands to benefit greatly from this disciplined sport boys and girls" the managing director  of Green Enterprise Solutions Kehad Snydewel said.

Their next event will be the World Karate championship, which will take place in June, in Lusaka Zambia. 

The Namibia Kyokushin Karate Dojo is planning to take 60 youngsters to that competition.