October 2015 — Founding of Wings to Transcend Namibia (WTTN), Namibia

Jholerina  B. Timbo (Madame Jholerina) founded Wings to Transcend Namibia (WTTN) in October 2015. WTTN is a non-governmental organisation that advocates and lobbies for equity and inclusion of trans people in Namibia.

Madame Jholerina said that the reason for founding WTTN was that

“there was no actual progress or investment into realising transgender people’s needs… So, my feeling was it is time that we, as trans people, organise ourselves and start a movement of our own.”

(Source: https://beyondthemargins.africa/the-fight-against-being-a-human-no-mans-zone/)

Dhamira

From their website:

“Wings to Transcend Namibia will be a champion and pioneer that works for social reform, legal gender recognition, and medical justice, through leadership development and empowering of transgender individuals and communities while lobbying local government, civil society and policymakers in national and international spheres about the needs of the Transgender community in Namibia”. 

Wasiliana

Tovuti
Barua pepe: wingstotranscendnamibia@gmail.com
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Watch our interview with Madame Jholerina

We interviewed Madame Jholerina on 14 March 2025.

In memoriam: Celebrating the life of Madame Jholerina (7 September 1985 — 9 October 2025)

We sadly bid farewell to and celebrate the life of Madame Jholerina. Jholerina Brinnette Theodora Timbo passed away last week on the 9th of October 2025. She had only turned 40 a few weeks before. She was a colourful person, proudly wearing her traditional attire and boldly claiming space everywhere she went. She claimed the name ‘Mama Trans’ as she was a mother, sister, ally and supporter to many young and newly out trans women, who came to her looking for a voice to speak their truth.

Jholerina was part of the emerging years of the early trans movement in Southern Africa. She attended the first trans- and intersex-specific workshop in Africa, hosted by IGLHRC (today known as Outright International) and Gender DynamiX, held in South Africa in December 2008. It was at this Eastern and Southern African Trans/Gender Identity Institute that she met art activist, Gabrielle Le Roux, and collaborated as a participant in the series of drawings, known as the “Proudly African & Transgender” project. She was also one of the participants in the first Intercontinental Trans Advocacy meeting, in Barcelona, Spain in June 2010, where the series of artworks was exhibited for the first time.

She founded Wings To Transcend Namibia (WTTN) in October 2015, because, as she put it: “there was no actual progress or investment into realising transgender people’s needs… So, my feeling was it is time that we, as trans people, organise ourselves and start a movement of our own.” To many, Madame Jholerina was so much more than the founder of WTTN. Apart from the lives she touched and the work she did outside of her role at WTTN while she was the Executive Director, she also served as a Grant-Making Panellist for the International Trans Fund (2023 – 2024), was a Mandela Washington fellow (2018), and part of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI, 2016), among many other accomplishments. She was an undeniable force, as her tireless and passionate work was only outshone by her warm heart, her endless generosity, and her naughty sense of humour.

Our co-founder, Liesl Theron, who knew Jholerina since 2008, shares her reflections on the news of Madame Jholerina’s death:

“My heart is still very broken after I heard the news Thursday about the passing of Madame Jholerina. The most recent time we saw each other was in June 2024, when I was organising logistics for the ITF and you attended the GMP meeting in Mexico City. The last day of GMP activities included attending the Mexico City Pride. You were boldly in bright colours as always, with a flower crown on your head! I remember those early years, way back in 2008 with our first regional trans projects, and you were part of it! We giggled every time, when you told me that you took over the name ‘Mama Trans’.”

The Trans & Intersex History Africa (TIHA) Digital Archive team mourns with her family, friends and colleagues, and we strive to honour her legacy by continuing to work for the rights of trans Africans. Rest in power, Madame J. Thank you for all that you did.

— Liesl, Victor and the TIHA team.

Memorial Service, 16 October 2025, Namibia

On the 16th of October, the Namibia Diverse Women’s Association (NWDA) held a memorial service for Madame Jholerina in her home country, Namibia.