WINDHOEK – The Environment Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF) awarded bursaries worth N$1.1 million to 13 students studying in the environmental field.
The students, six ladies and seven young men, are studying at undergraduate level with three students at postgraduate level. Speaking at the bursary awards ceremony, Lazarus Nafidi, the fund’s spokesperson, said, during this financial year, the fund has committed nearly N$1.2 million to assist 13 aspiring Namibian professionals in the fields of environmental management, oceanography, eco-tourism, fisheries and aquatic science and environmental law. The bursaries and research assistance programme of the fund forms part of the institution’s five-year strategic business plan, which among other high profile areas of investment also includes investment in training, research and education.
The strategy is aimed at filling critical skills gaps in environment related areas, said Nafidi. “It is encouraging to see that young people are increasingly realizing the value that their skills can play in the broader Namibian economy, particularly by becoming specialists in study fields that ensure environmental sustainability,” said Nafidi. The fund has been operating since 2012 and is mandated to contribute to Namibian’s economic development by financing projects that promote best environmental practices. The EIF believes that sustainable economic growth can become a reality by continually investing in training and related research, he said.
By Sabina Elago