Ongwediva
A business consortium consisting of over 200 youths – whose intention is to empower jobless youths – was launched at Ongwediva in Oshana on Monday. The launch took place at the Women’s Centre at Ongwediva. The new business venture, known as Consortium 101 (Pty) Ltd, was founded by the youth in the Oshana Region with the aim of fighting unemployment and the alleged unfair and unequal distribution of resources in the region.
“The objective of Consortium 101 (Pty) Ltd is to transform the lives of the youth, through skills development, economic empowerment as well as value addition to our products,” said its marketing director Herman Hamutenya.
The consortium has an 11-member board of trustees.
Businessperson Paulus Paulus, the chairperson of the board of trustees, said the youth want things to happen now and do not want to wait until 2030.
Other trustee members are Herman Hamutenya, Hileni Malakia, Leonard Nuugulu, David Shifotoka, Peter Shindingeni, Simataa Simasiku, Aloys Kapenda, Festus Haihambo, Fox Shongolo and Martha Hailwa.
The consortium is the brainchild of Affirmative Repositioning (AR), the youth movement fighting for economic empowerment.
Speaking at its launch AR leader Job Amupanda said similar business ventures are to be launched in other regions.
He said the launch of the Oshana Region’s consortium on Independence Day has a symbolic meaning.
Amupanda further stated Oshana and Consortium 101 will provide a clear template to be replicated and implemented in other regions.
Amupanda said it took them more than three months to finalise the consortium.
“From April 1, we begin the process of establishing Consortium 102 (Ohangwena), Consortium 103 (Omusati), Consortium 104 (Erongo), Consortium 105 (Khomas) and Consortium 106 (Zambezi). “We will then move to other regions in phase two until we have established consortiums in the whole country,” said Amupanda. Amupanda further used the opportunity to salute all fearless youth of Oshana and the young lawyers who assisted them in pulling off the task. “This is a demonstration, to those who doubt the youth, that we are ready and able to provide answers to economic questions. We want the narrative to continue,” said Amupanda.
He said the youth have resolved to do something about their own future because the current political leaders keep postponing the problems.
He noted the youth are not happy with the fact that about 90 percent of the Namibian economy is still in the hands of about five percent of the population. Amupanda further said anarchy will remain as a last resort, if the youth are not allowed to participate openly.
Other speakers during the ceremony included AR activists George Kambala and Dimbulukeni Nauyoma.
Suspended secretary of the Swapo Party Youth League Elijah Ngurare was among the attendees.