Touching Lives with Lize Ehlers

One would really have to be living under a rock in Namibia to say they haven’t heard of or know of Lize Ehlers. All excuses, aside Hawtspitta_says presents this profiling interview with the incredibly talented and vibrant personality. Now no more excuses for you.

Name: * Lize Ehlers (people call me Rise Era, Liz! Tailors and Pasta Polana Lady)

Occupation: Singer, songwriter, facilitator, actress, poet, ambassador

Born in Mariental! Tharaxa Eibes!

Education:

I matriculated from Mariental High School. I also have a Diploma in Journalism from INTEC, various Musical Grades from UNISA, a Singing Certificate from Trinity London and years of Classical & Contemporary vocal training from WSS & WSA. 

You have projects that promote young people and their talents, what are these projects and what do they entail?

I founded and directed The Gumboot Girls, a project where young girls put on gumboots that I supply privately and we train weekly to stomp out prejudice, violence and many other realities.  I put The Gumboot Girls on hold for now, until I have succeeded to make this part of school curriculum, a fun, physical way of bringing awareness to GBV through strength, rhythm and team work.

 

I am the Ambassador for Uyelele. We bring awareness through song and the Uyelele Solar Bottle itself. It has saved countless lives by simply decreasing the amount of candles used in shacks. 

 

I also founded Song Night in 2011 - and I actively direct it to this day. It is one of my biggest passions to see people grow.  I saw that singers didn't have a platform as upcoming performers, the rest is history now. This proudly Namibian platform has motivated and launched so many new singers into the Namibian Music Industry. We have seen singers not only grow musically, but emotionally too. 

I do yearly Pep-Talks with Grade 12’s from my former high school: MHS. The scholars together with my former English/German/Theatre teacher Mrs. Van Der Westhuizen visit Windhoek for a day. They gather at my music studio and I share all the art possibilities in Windhoek and possible concepts they could apply back home in Mariental after school.

 

If schedules go right they also experience a Song Night or Spoken Word, an exhibition, a lesson at Unam in Theatre and Design and or Dance Show etc. It is so wonderful to experience the gratefulness and shiny eyes of the youngsters who want to venture into an art life.

How long have you been doing this?

I love singing, I love writing, but my community work is something that comes from the education given to me by my parents, family, teachers, basically already from way back when I was still a child. I was an active debater at school and matriculated in 2004 as head girl and first youth president of Namibia.

Since then I have surrounded myself with giants like Sandy Rudd - extraordinary Theatre Director and Doer, Hendrik Ehlers - Visionary Humanitarian & Doer (my husband) and many young vibrant focused people.

 

 

End of Part 1.