The upcoming Investing in African Mining Indaba, which will be held in Cape Town, has honoured three young Namibians as part of the Future Leaders initiative.
Michele Hailonga, Helao Shivolo, and Helmi Ipinge were among 30 young leaders from the African continent to be Honoured.
Hailonga is an environmental geologist with the mines ministry, while Shivolo is an entrepreneur in the agriculture, energy, and mining sectors and Ipinge is a geologist currently working at the Geological Survey of Namibia under the mines ministry.
The Indaba launched the initiative to acknowledge the next generation of leaders’ vital role in the mining industry.
The initiative, launched in partnership with the University of Cape Town’s Leaders in Extractives and African Development (LEAD) Programme, is also part of the Indaba’s 30th celebration.
The Indaba takes place from February 5 until 8 under the theme Embracing the power of positive Disruption: A Bold New Future for African Mining.
Helao Shivolo
He a geoscientist registered with the Geoscience Council of Namibia and a member of the Geological Society of Namibia with over 10 years of experience in the Public and Private Sectors. His career began in the private sector, in mineral exploration, and shifted to the public sector, into policy and regulation with the Ministry of Mines and Energy. During my 10 years working in the Mining Directorate of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, he was involved in providing geological and geotechnical support services to small-scale miners, assisting with mineral rights applications, facilitating development by optimizing support to small-scale miners through cooperation with other government and private agencies and development partners as well as mineral investment promotion. Furthermore, he got involved in policy development and stakeholder relations as my experience in the industry increased. Over the same period, he has concurrently founded, developed, and managed businesses ranging from Carbon Credits Trading and smart Agriculture to Heavy Mining Equipment. He is a full-time entrepreneur in agriculture, energy, and mining.
Helmi Ipinge: Geologist
A geologist currently working at the Geological Survey of Namibia under the Ministry of Mines and Energy. His expertise lies in environmental monitoring of active mines and risk assessment of abandoned mining sites, ensuring sustainable mining practices. He previously worked in mineral economics, managing monthly production, sales, and export statistics for semi-precious stones and industrial minerals in Namibia. His experience also includes working with mineral licensing, providing me with a comprehensive understanding of regulatory processes. Committed to responsible mining, he contributes to the sustainable development of Namibia’s mineral resources and minimises environmental impact.
Michele Hailonga
Michelle Hailonga is an environmental geologist. In her work, she conducts geo-environmental surveys on the effects of mining in her country and contributes to land use planning through engineering geological works. She also assists in local geo-hazard investigations. As an environmental geologist, she has a special interest in geoscientists’ role in the conversations of sustainability and the effects and mitigation measures of climate change. Her work has led her to identify that as geoscientists, they have a critical role in bringing awareness to climate change risks.
