Namibian Writer launches book – The Exile Child                                 

By Annelien van Wyk

(New Era Newspaper - published June 11, 2010)

Rachel Valentina Nghiwete, author of the book, Valentina: The Exile Child recently published and launched her autobiography.  In her memoir, the writer tells her captivating, gleaming and often overwhelming life story as an exile child.

In Namibia, these children born in exile has often been labeled as the liberation children, struggle kids and so many insensitive names and have been tagged and associated with many prejudice and bias, but have the name callers ever found a moment to sit down and surmise what these children experienced during their time in exile and their return into the land of the brave. The saying goes that time heals, but in as much as time heals, the scars remain and very often it does not take much effort for the scars to start bleeding again and with the bleeding of those scars, the once forgotten pain returns with a much deeper twinge.

Amongst the 43 000 exiled Namibians who repatriated to Namibia after independence were children who never knew the life of an ordinary child. Exile was their home, their comfort zone and although returning to their motherland, it was still a different environment and cultural shock was the order of their existence.   Although they might have been excited and fascinated by their return to their home country, it is just natural that they would have gone through a process of crisis, adjustment, acceptance, adaptation and re-entry shock.

In The Exile Child, Valentina tells a story that so many can relate too, at times her story becomes your own.  There are moments during the reading of the book that the reader becomes that very person whom the writer speaks of, the emotions expressed in her two hundred and sixteen page book becomes the readers’ own emotions and quite often it evoke overpowering feelings of abhorrence, revulsion and repulsion for the hardships that so many Namibians experienced during the apartheid regime. The writer also enlightens the reader of the historical scenario that results in today’s income disparity in Namibia. Many historical and known names and pictures are seen in the book.

In the foreword of the book, the writer assures a historical account of Namibia’s road to freedom from the perspective of an exile child, and for an inspiring tale of a Namibian exile child’s painful and joyful journey to finding and living a life of meaning and purpose.

The autobiography is courteously and amiably written in easy understandable English to ensure effortless reading and although experiences expressed in the book was harsh and unbearable, the writer always wrote in a collegial manner. Her expressions never reached an unbecoming level of phrasing.

The preface: The Exile Child Poem set the tone for this remarkable book, followed by five chapters each explaining the diverse experiences in different countries by the author. The author gives the reader an in-depth sight of her life as an exile child.

Valentina is a young, business woman with three degrees:   Associates in Computer Sciences Management from Northwood University in the United States, Bachelors in Health Promotion and Masters in Health Promotion Management from American University in Washington, DC. Her businesses are The WellnessPlex, Inc (health and wellness) and V.E.E.M (Valentina Events and Entertainment Management). 

She is also the owner of Exposé, a Namibian newspaper whose main objective is to provide readers with “both sides of the story” and to promote responsible and objective journalism. Everything about this young go-getter speaks about determination and a focused mind.

This insightful book filled with history and illumination is available in hard copy as well as an e-book is currently obtainable for purchase by anyone in any corner of the world at www.theexilechild.com or on amazon.com (direct link is on the book`s official page). Other stores have agreed to soon start selling the book, including Book den and Universal sounds in Namibia. For more updates, people should constantly check the official book website.