Mobile Telecommunications Company MTC is planning on hosting the second edition of the MTC Teen Inspirational Summit, which will see international music group Ghetto Kids from Uganda grace the stage in the Land of the Brave.
First held in 2019, the inspirational summit is an initiative aimed to engage, stimulate, encourage and inspire Namibian teenagers through inspirational speech and talent displays, by their peers, to believe in and pursue their dreams.
Themed “Be your own Hero”, the summit is planned to take place in Windhoek on 30 March 2024 at the International University of Management’s main campus in the Tunana Hall. In addition to Ghetto Kids, the summit will have a lineup of talented and inspiring local talents, to be revealed soon.
Formerly known as Triplets Ghetto Kids, the Ghetto Kids are a dance/music group founded in 2014 by Daouda Kavuma. The group comprises children from the Katwe slums in Kampala, Uganda. They have appeared on major platforms across the world, featuring in French Montana’s “Unforgettable” video, and performing at a World Cup 2022 event in Qatar. Ugandan artist Eddy Kenzo has likewise used the talent in his music video for his famous hit “Sitya Loss”.
At the launch last week, deputy minister of education Faustina Caley urged young Namibians to believe in their dreams, while giving assurances of government’s efforts in creating an enabling environment which allows every child to dream and become whoever they want to be.
“The MTC Inspirational Teen Summit is a testament to the collective efforts of the adults and the youth, private sector, and government, to create a future where every teenager dares to pursue their dreams, no matter how impossible they may seem,” she stated.
Caley then urged the teens to believe in the uniqueness of their dreams, no matter how grand or unconventional they may be.
“Embrace the challenges, learn from failures, persevere and let every obstacle become a stepping stone towards your dreams. Remember, every hero that you admire started with a dream that seemed out of reach. They faced challenges, setbacks and doubts, but they persevered,” she noted.
The deputy minister lauded MTC for the initiative, highlighting that this presents the young generation with the opportunity not only to be inspired by the stories and talents of their peers, but also to inspire others.
“It is a platform for self-expression, creativity and the celebration of individuality. I thus urge schools, parents and guardians to ensure that the children attend this great and inspirational initiative,” she said.
Also speaking at the launch, Miss Teen Namibia Oriana Ribeiro encouraged fellow teens to work on having a positive mindset, and believe that every dream is within reach.
“Let us enrich our minds and be intentional in our journey, and never doubt our capabilities and what we can become. The world is our oyster. Live with intention, and be conscious about what you want to do. As we grow, we are required to be responsible citizens. Hence, let us set our lives and mindset up for the future,” expressed Ribeiro.
MTC Chief of Human Capital Tim Ekandjo said they are proudly invested in young Namibians because they believe in their capabilities. “We want to be confident that the future of this country is in good hands, and we can only do that by inspiring the kids and investing in their future. The summit will have a diverse group of inspirational teen figures with different talents, and we call upon parents and institutions charged with the sacred responsibility of nurturing the affairs of kids to rally behind the Teen Summit by making sure that they attend it,” said Ekandjo passionately.