Namibia has won its first-ever award at the prestigious 2021 SADC secondary school essay competition. The country's nominees, Olivia Haufiku and Clara Namakasa both Grade 12 learners at the Rukonga and Nkurenkuru High Schools respectively wrote the best essay's beating 35 rivals from 12 member states. The competition seeks to promote the mandate of the regional bloc through essay writing on key issues from topic's derived at the annual SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government, every year. This year's topic was: "How has SADC contributed to peace and security of the region in the last 40 years and how can SADC consolidate peace going forward." Speaking at the award ceremony in the capital, the Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Anna Nghipondoka, expressed joy with the accolade, urging schools to create awareness and attract learners to such platforms, to broaden their knowledge and skills.