Rachel Valentina Nghiwete is a businesswoman who was born in Angola to Namibian parents and raised in England and the United States. She attended American University in Washington, DC, where she earned a Master’s Degree in Health Promotion Management. She is passionate about Southern Africa and is a founder of the nonprofit organization Southern African Community USA (SACU). She is also the founder of Southern African News, an online newspaper.

Rachel hosts the weekly social event Southern African Nights in Washington, DC, and is the producer of the Southern African Connection TV show in the DMV area. She is the author of Valentina: The Exile Child, a historical book about apartheid in Namibia. More information about Rachel and her work can be found at www.chezadance.com and www.theexilechild.com.