Pombili Hanghome, who bravely returned to school at the age of 24 to join Grade 9 in 2014 despite facing mockery and bullying for being the oldest student in her class, has now achieved a significant milestone. 

At 32, Hanghome is a proud graduate of the International University of Management (IUM), where she earned a bachelor's degree in financial management. 

Her journey stands as a testament to resilience and hope, inspiring many determined children across Namibia.

Hanghome's journey, marked by hardship and perseverance, began in Ongha yaNanghonda village in northern Namibia.

That is where she was raised by her blind grandmother after being abandoned by her parents at just eight months old, and she dropped out of school after her grandmother died.
  
Hanghome made the courageous decision to return to school at the age of 24 and resume her education in Grade 9, a path fraught with challenges, bullying, and immense endurance. 

Today, she stands proud as a graduate, her journey a testament to resilience and determination.

"My challenge was not having family members on that side in the north. I got someone who helped me with accommodation. But I finished my grades 10 and 12, and then in 2021 I started my first year at IUM, and here I am as a graduate."

Hanghome's story is not just about overcoming bullying and hardship; it is about unwavering determination and the will to succeed against all odds. 

She couldn't contain her feeling of happiness.

"The situation at home is that I am the only girl among boys from my mother's side, but from my father's side, we are a lot, I am the only one that made it to Grade 12, and today, wearing this gown, I want to pave the way for my siblings. I want to change the situation at home."

Her success is a tribute to her late grandmother, whose spirit of perseverance Hanghome embodies. 

She also proudly said that her mentor, who took her in, is someone for whom she will be forever grateful.

"The person that took me in and paid for my school fees—I didn't want it all to go to waste; I wanted her to be proud of me; she sees a bright future in me, and I just made it a reality."

Many Namibians have unique stories and varied struggles, but today, Pombili Hanghome's story may have the potential to inspire the next Namibian struggling child. 

She concludes her narrative with the words, "You don't need to give up; you just have to pray, and God will make a way."