Victoria Joel

Social Entrepreneur | Inclusive Education Advocate | COHA Principal

Victoria Joel is a 31-year-old social entrepreneur and an Olafika SMEs and Mentorship graduate, awarded the 2020 Most Diligent Entrepreneur of the Year. She is a devoted, trained special needs teacher with seven years of teaching experience in four different schools. Trained by SES Experts from Germany, she has passionately advocated for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other intellectual disabilities for the past ten years, serving as an expert and mentor.

In 2019, she established the Circle of Hope Private Academy (COHA), the sole inclusive school in northern Namibia dedicated to all children, including those with Autism, Down syndrome, and other intellectual disorders. As the Director and Principal of COHA, she manages both its primary and Basic Prevocational sections, impacting numerous lives alongside a dedicated team of teachers and administrators. Her journey has been marked by challenges, including community stigma during her startup in 2019. However, her persistence paid off with COHA's registration approval by the Ministry of Education in 2022, a significant milestone as the first registered private inclusive school in the northern regions.

In addition to her teaching career, from 2019 to 2023, she provided in-person training to teachers on inclusive education in Namibia, Botswana, Angola, and Zambia. She also delivered online international training to student teachers at two universities in India. Locally, she presented in-person open lectures to student teachers and student nurses from the University of Namibia, reflecting her determination to address community needs by providing awareness.

Despite initial hurdles, the transformative impact on learners and families fuels her drive to expand COHA to other regions, promising a brighter future for inclusive education in Namibia and beyond. COHA was awarded "The Best Basic Disability Inclusive Education Institute" by the National Disability Council of Namibia in 2023. Her volunteerism in mental health awareness and wellness has also been acknowledged by the Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula, who appointed her as a Mental Health Board member in August 2023. In her community, she also serves as a business leader, being elected as the vice-chairperson of the Ondangwa branch of the Namibian Chamber of Commerce and Industry since 2019 to date.