Kristin Eichholz was the principal of the Deutsche Höhere Privatschule Windhoek (DHPS) for nine years and is now returning to Hamburg at the end of her term of office. Looking back on her time at the school, she can be proud of the successes, realisations and challenges overcome in recent years.

Much has changed, and not just on the school’s exterior after various construction projects: The new gym, the science labs and a modern exterior façade were realised at the DHPS during her time in office, but Ms Eichholz has also initiated and driven forward a number of things in the field of education, such as the concept of an integrated, bilingual junior secondary section and the reintroduction of the Cambridge degree.

Bringing people together is the theme that runs like a red thread through her time as Principal at the DHPS and her everyday life in Namibia. Encounters between cultures, living diversity and social commitment were top priorities for her in both her educational and private life, and she forged deep friendships with a number of projects, organisations and initiators. Even during the corona pandemic and despite the associated social restrictions, she regularly supplied soup kitchens together with a team and the learners of the DHPS Interact Club, for example, and thus inspired the school community to get actively involved as well.

Managing a school and a school community certainly presented her with very special challenges, especially during the corona pandemic, but she mastered them very well thanks to her straightforwardness, her commitment and her efforts to strengthen the sense of togetherness in all situations.

The last days of school at the DHPS were mainly dedicated to saying goodbye to Ms Eichholz. On 7 December, on her second-to-last school day before the summer holidays, the "Ms Eichholz Day" took place. Learners and colleagues from the kindergarten to the high school bid farewell to their principal with small dance and song performances, a breakfast, and other creative ideas.

The DHPS school community would like to thank her for the past nine years, wish her all the best for her future and her return to Hamburg and look forward to perhaps seeing her again soon.
Kristin Eichholz's successor will take up office in January and she can confidently "hand over" a great, exciting and very special school to him.