Celebrating MultiChoice Namibia’s 25th Anniversary with Milka Mungunda

Lending a helping hand

“I always wanted to be involved in helping people and my professional career has been looking at how I can be of service to people.”

Inspired by parents who were always of service to their community, Milka Mungunda, the Chairperson of MultiChoice Namibia, strives to improve the lives of the people she serves.

Milka’s father was an Education Inspector and her mother, a social worker by nature, turning 80, is still actively involved in community work.

Question: Tell us about MultiChoice’s history over the past twenty-five years?

Answer: Multichoice has played a very important role in the lives of Namibians. Their social responsibility projects have made a major impact on our society, our schools, our communities, and also our education sector.

Question: How did you become a MultiChoice Namibia Board Member?

Answer: I became a Board Member through Kalahari Holdings. I’m representing Kalahari Holdings which is a shareholder. About a year ago, I became the Chairperson of MultiChoice Namibia.

Question: Tell us about MultiChoice’s joint venture with Kalahari Holdings that hails twenty-five years?

Answer: Kalahari Holdings has fifty-one per cent shares and MultiChoice Namibia has fourty-nine per cent shares. It’s a very good and healthy relationship. Through this joint venture we also use our dividends at Kalahari Holdings to ensure that not only our SWAPO companies but, also the society and community at large benefits from it.

Question: How has MultiChoice enriched lives?

Answer: MultiChoice has enriched lives through, the school projects by sponsoring libraries with DStv Educational bouquets, plasma screens and decoders. It has really helped students to enrich their lives which helps them improve their grades in high school.

Question: How has MultiChoice contributed to education and job creation since its inception and why did they target those two specific areas?

Answer: I think for any nation to move forward you must have education. A well educated nation is a nation that can move forward and that’s why MultiChoice puts a lot of emphasis not only on primary education but, also on higher education. In terms of the skills development program, not everybody can have formal education and that’s where MultiChoice comes in, to augment the Ministry of Education and all the other educational training centres so that people can have skills. Even if you have education, sometimes you need additional skills to move into a certain direction and to make a success of your life. MultiChoice Namibia realised that, and that is why we are putting so much emphasis on that.

Question: Share one of your favourite memories on your journey with MultiChoice?

Answer: It is probably when we are giving donations. When you see children, babies, and communities benefiting and it really brings tears to your eyes.

Question: How is MultiChoice empowering people to allow them to make a difference in their communities?

Answer: In addition to giving them additional skills, financial assistance, educational training -it helps them to be more confident, have faith in themselves and through that, they become better people and become more conscious of themselves and their environment.

Question: Other than the MultiChoice Resource Centre and its Skills Development Program, what positive changes has MultiChoice been making in the lives of Namibians?

Answer: A lot. Suddenly you can see children in rural areas who have been watching DStv, speak English. You see them imitating famous soccer players on TV when they are playing soccer.

Question: What criteria is used when choosing specific schools to sponsor?

Answer: MultiChoice Namibia identifies a particular school, in consultation with the Minister of Education, to determine what the need is and we then fill that need.

Question: Has your association with Multichoice allowed you to dream, soar for your dreams and aspirations in any way?

Answer: Yes, it did. I always wanted to be a TV Star. I’m joking. I always wanted to be involved in areas where I can add value and Multichoice has opened up the opportunity for me to meet people whom you’d not meet in normal circumstances and really help them financially. Just to give them a boost to move forward.

Question: What is your favourite TV channel on DStv?

Answer: I really like soccer, although I don’t understand it. I just like watching it.

Question: Why do you like watching soccer, if you don’t understand it?

Answer: I like the energy which goes into playing soccer. When these guys kick that ball, they do it with so much enthusiasm and that’s what I like. There is a lesson in that that. Whatever you do, you must always put in all your energy. You must be enthusiastic.

We caught up with Ms. Mungunda to get to know her better and talk about her role in her capacity as Chairperson of the country’s leading video entertainment company.

Follow the MultiChoice Namibia 25th Anniversary stories on 99FM every week until the end of July as we celebrate with amazing Namibians and take a look at how MultiChoice is enriching lives in Namibia below: