By Patience Makwele

Behind the name International Training College- Lingua lies a story of a woman whose calling to inspire, educate and empower others began as an act of kindness. Today Ingrid Kloppers-Mettler reflects on her journey as one which was never set out to start a college. In truth, what would become International Training College – Lingua began as a quiet act of survival from a series of informal lessons in computer literacy and language skills, taught from the cramped corners of her one-bedroom apartment which was meant to support her academic research and keep the lights on. However what started as a temporary plan became a profound turning point. 

“It was never intended to become a business. It was simply a temporary setup to support a research project. But something unexpected happened: people kept coming. The demand was overwhelming — not just for education, but for transformation. And that’s when I realized: this was more than a research question. It was a calling,” Kloppers–Mettler recalled.
With no capital, infrastructure or roadmap except a need, what was once a humble side project evolved into a proudly Namibian, fully accredited private institution that today stands as a movement for inclusive and empowering education. “I stepped out not because the odds were in my favour,” she said, “but because I believed the dream was bigger than the fear.” Over the past 24 years, Kloppers-Mettler quietly became one of Namibia’s most resilient education trailblazers, but the journey has tested every fiber of her strength. As a woman navigating the tightrope between education and entrepreneurship, she has confronted not only the structural inequality faced by private colleges but also the emotional and financial burden that comes with building something from scratch. Despite Lingua’s repeated accreditations and its contribution to national skills development, she says the institution has faced selective recognition and chronic underfunding.
 

“It’s a space where merit isn’t always rewarded,” she shared, “and the support mechanisms don’t always reach those doing the actual work on the ground.” For many women entrepreneurs, the struggle is silent and constant. However, she never allowed the silence to defeat her, she turned it into fuel.
 

Born into a community that has long been pushed to the margins of national dialogue, Kloppers-Mettler has never shied away from difficult truths. “My courage stems from lived experience — and from a deep commitment to justice.” As a proud woman of Coloured descent, her voice has consistently challenged systems that exclude, from education leadership to national policymaking platforms. “I speak out because silence protects the status quo — and the status quo has not served everyone equally. I speak because I carry the stories, hopes, and frustrations of a community that has long been underrepresented and overlooked. I do it knowing that change is uncomfortable — but necessary,” she stated.
 

She  noted  the  significance of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s recent Cabinet appointments, calling them a “symbolic and practical step toward inclusivity.” with a clear message: "Inclusion must be systemic, not symbolic, and equity must reach beyond the corridors of power into classrooms, boardrooms, and communities still waiting to be seen."
For Kloppers-Mettler, empowerment is more than a buzzword. It’s the very soil upon which Lingua was built. The college has become a second home for young women who walk in burdened by circumstance but leave carrying possibility. “True empowerment isn’t just access,” she explained. “It’s helping young women discover their voice, their worth, and their strength.”
At Lingua, education is inseparable from emotional and psychological upliftment. It’s a place where resilience is nurtured as much as skill, and where young women are reminded that their roots are not a limitation but a source of power. “Empowered women go on to empower communities,” she said.
 

Behind the powerful title—founder, CEO, educator—is a woman who is also a wife, mother, sister, mentor and daughter and balancing all these roles has never been seamless. 
 

“Balancing these roles has never been easy. In fact, it has often felt like walking a tightrope — constantly shifting between the demands of leading an institution and the responsibilities and emotional labour that come with family and personal life,” she said. 
Even though it is a nonsmooth parh which requires deep sacrifice, incredible time management and a level of emotional strength that is often invisible to the outside world. She shared that there were moments of bone-deep exhaustion, silent sacrifices and questions no title could answer. “Sometimes I wonder, am I giving enough to my children? Am I showing up enough for my team?”
What grounded her was the 'why' which reminds her of the yield of every challenge. “I know that everything I do — the long hours, the decisions, the risks — is ultimately in service of something greater: building a legacy of opportunity, especially for young people who never thought someone like them could lead, achieve, or own something meaningful.” Over time, she learned to protect herself from burnout, to pause, to pray and to remember that self-preservation is part of purpose. “At home, I am reminded of who I am beyond the institution — I’m a “mom,” I’m  a “sister,” I’m a “wife,” and that gives me the strength to return to my work with even more clarity and compassion,” she shared.
 

To the young woman holding a dream too heavy to carry alone, Kloppers-Mettler shared words of encouragement “I want you to know that I see you, and I understand that fear. I, too, once sat with a vision I didn’t fully know how to execute,” she encouraged, adding with even more  advice: Begin anyway. “When I started, I had N$33 to my name,” she said with a smile. “No experience. Just a vision.” She didn’t wait for the fear to leave; she moved with it. She made peace with imperfection, missteps, and starting small. 
“Every woman you admire today once stood exactly where you are—unsure, unprepared, but determined.” 
Her advice is simple, profound and echoing: “Surround yourself with people who feed your courage—not your fear. And never forget: the world is waiting for what only you can bring.”
 

As Lingua looks ahead, her focus is on a legacy rooted not in buildings or accolades, but in transformed lives. 
“I want Lingua to always be a place where people feel seen, equipped, and believed in.” She hopes her institution will continue to show the country that women can lead with integrity, that private institutions can serve the public good, and that great things can come from very humble beginnings. “I hope to be remembered as someone who opened doors. For women. 
For the underrepresented. For anyone told they didn’t belong.”
Kloppers-Mettler noted: “I am a confident woman because…” she paused—not out of uncertainty, but because the answer runs deep.
 

“I am a confident woman because I have faced challenges that tried to break me, walked paths I was never prepared for, and still chose to rise, lead, and build—not just for myself, but for others who needed to see that it could be done.”