What’s in a Name?
It is 10:26PM on Monday 8 September 2025. I have the distinct pleasure of writing a ‘hello world’ blogpost for POLELE, a strategic communications agency I have founded for change-driven leaders, brands and organisations.
Zero 7 is playing in the background as I consider what I should write about. I mean, it is my blog so I can take full advatange.
I have many options. I could list my career highlights or describe the bold, ambitious, mission-driven organisations I want to work with.
Instead, I want to answer the question I know most people will ask:
What does the name mean?
POLELE [pronounced POH-LEH-LEH] means clarity, clear and transparent in Lingala, one of the many languages spoken in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s also one of the 2.5 languages that I speak.
I chose it because it reflects the essence of the work I have been doing, formally and informally, over the past fifteen years — and what I intend to continue doing through my agency. Providing clarity.
In an increasingly noisy world, clarity is rare. Yet it is the very thing leaders and organisations need most.
POLELE is my promise to bring clarity to every story I help tell.
Why clarity matters
Clarity is about the power to influence. Leaders who communicate clearly move markets, attract investment and build trust. Brands that articulate their purpose with simplicity stand out. Organisations that act with transparency secure credibility for their cause.
Without clarity, even the best ideas risk being lost. In a time when attention is scarce and competition for it is relentless, those working in the public interest must also be visible.
Strategic visibility helps missions gain traction, policies earn support, and innovations attract investment.
The right voices cut through not by being the loudest, but by being the clearest.
So, contrary to Shakespeare’s famous lines from Romeo & Juliet, names matter. They shape how organisations are seen, remembered and understood. They tell a story before a single conversation begins. At POLELE, our name is a declaration of who we are and what we stand for.
By Viya Nsumbu, Founder & Director, POLELE
If this resonates, let’s start a conversation about how clarity can unlock influence for your organisation. Get in touch via hello@polele.global
