Tekla Shipahu Natangwe Shindi-Mbidi has positively contributed to the Nursing and Midwifery professions at the national level in Namibia for the past ten years. She has been involved in many activities of the Ministry of Health and has a detailed understanding of the country’s health system. In the past six years, Shindi-Mbidi has continued expanding her knowledge of Nursing and Midwifery by obtaining a post-graduate diploma in Nursing education (cum laude) and a Masters degree in Nursing enabling her to become employed as a Nursing and Midwifery educator. Shindi-Mbidi is an inspiration to young student nurses and midwives for her professionalism, love of education and the professions.
She is currently a registered part-time Doctoral student in Professional Nursing at the University of Johannesburg where her research focuses on respectful maternity care. Shindi-Mbidi is currently a Young Midwife Leader under the ICM Young Midwife Leaders program as sponsored by Johnson and Johnson which has enabled her to learn about leadership, engage with other aspiring young midwife leaders who are passionate about the nursing and midwifery professions and develop a strong community knowledge sharing within the nursing and midwifery professions at a global level. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Shindi-Mbidi has successfully transitioned her students to the virtual learning environment where she continues to support them in every way she can. Additionally, she has volunteered and been actively engaged in the Infection Prevention and Control Committee for the response to the COVID pandemic at the national level.