Ngaevarue Katjangua
Windhoek-“The conference was awesome and inspiring, most importantly was the presentation by all speakers that emphasised nurturing our talents and perfecting them until they are saleable. Presentations by some young entrepreneurs also challenged me that I can do anything, anywhere and be successful, despite your background of education,” remarked Daniel Kandiado.
He was one of the participants in the Namibian Youth Investment Conference that took place last Thursday at the Khomas Regional Office in Windhoek.
The conference, targeting youth empowerment, yielded good results with the participating youths inspired and encouraged to do better in life. Youth participants, such as Kandiado, were excited after the conference and had only good things to say about it.
A grassroots movement of Katutura youth, known as 25 Contractors, organised the conference – the first of its kind.
The conference, under the sponsorship of Hospice of Hope, saw half-day presentations and discussions on youth entrepreneurship by leading and rising youth-owned businesses, informing and inspiring the new generation of start-ups in Namibia, and connecting them with potential investors.
The ambitious seminar was open to each and every youth and drew more than 80 participants. Its key objective was to uplift and empower the Namibian youth to become productive citizens, both for themselves and the country at large.
During the conference, participants were introduced to possibilities, such as those offered by Youthia Economy, a revolutionary youth economy that is restructuring the economic activities of youth entrepreneurs to give youth an opportunity to plug into the economy and build powerful chains with other youth across Africa and thus develop local and continental market connections.
It further showed the active youth support for the Harambee Prosperity Plan sub-pillar, ‘Youth Enterprise Development’, which aims “to create an enabling environment for private sector entrepreneurial start-ups and growth-oriented Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), as well as to facilitate the establishment of youth-owned enterprises,” to collectively contribute to the nation’s economic advancement by eradicating poverty and reducing unemployment amongst Namibian youth.
Interactive presentations by young entrepreneurs, such as Emma Theofelus, former junior mayor of Windhoek and aspiring entrepreneur from Wanaheda, Alphons Koruhama, founder of Possibility Thinkers and 2017 Mandela Fellow from the Ovahimba community, Herman Munghanya, a Katutura Youth Enterprise Centre (KAYEC) graduate and founder of 25 Contractors, were among the key mentors for the conference.
Additional support came from the Youth Economic Empowerment Programme, KAYEC Trust and RLABS Namibia.