Sawi Hausiku
RUNDU – Prime Minister (PM) Elijah Ngurare said Cabinet has approved the reinstatement of the Food-and-Cash-For-Work (FCFW) Programme to empower the vulnerable.
Ngurare said this while also calling for the full operationalisation of all green schemes across Namibia to strengthen livelihoods and drive rural development.
The PM was speaking on Saturday at the VaShambyu VaMuturu WaSingangera Cultural Festival, hosted by the Shambyu Traditional Authority at Kayengona village, urging traditional leaders and councillors to therefore spearhead projects in their villages so that unemployed youth can participate and earn an income.
The programme, overseen by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, provides short-term employment for unemployed, able-bodied adults and youth in rural communities in exchange for food or cash.
The programme, which forms part of the National Rural Development Policy, aims to reduce poverty, build infrastructure, and enhance food security.
Ngurare emphasised that the government remains committed to ensuring every village in Namibia has access to essential services, including water, electricity, shelter, telecommunications, roads, schools, and clinics.
“We cannot speak about economic empowerment while ignoring those who live in rural areas and have the potential to contribute meaningfully,” he noted.
Reflecting on his time in the Swapo Party Youth League, the PM highlighted the importance of practical, common-sense economic empowerment.
“For 35 years, there has been a misconception that villages lack skills. But capacity exists. If people in villages have the ability and skills, there is no need to look elsewhere,” he said.
Ngurare also praised traditional leaders for their role in preserving indigenous knowledge, promoting social cohesion, and upholding cultural values that have sustained communities long before independence.
He encouraged the youth to embrace their heritage with pride, stressing that: “Our traditions are not just sources of strength and resilience—they are sources of inspiration. By engaging in our traditional arts, crafts, dances, and stories, young people will help preserve our culture and