//Kharas governor, Aletha Frederick said the recent gala dinner held in the slumbering village of Bethanie will serve as a prelude to the upcoming youth expo, aiming at recognising the youth’s potential and furthermore unlocking their entrepreneurial skills.
She reasoned as such at the historic event where she officiated. She continued that the gala dinner has been organised to raise funds for the planned youth expo, which will take place early next month in the village.
“This is a commendable youth initiative that has a remarkable potential to ignite hidden entrepreneurial talents in the youth to address youth unemployment, hunger, and poverty,” she explained.
The governor added that the Bethanie Youth Expo was initiated to address and find an alternative to youth unemployed challenges, in which young people are only looking up to government for opportunities.
“Young people are experiencing a diverse set of challenges across socio-economic, geographical, political and cultural divides, especially during their transition from school to work, which is particularly challenging,” Frederick said.
She, however, commended the younger segment of the population for constantly striving to achieve economic independence, in the process readying themselves to find their identity against the background of weakening family and community structures.
“It is good to see that young people realise that they need to do more to provide solutions to their daily life challenges. Therefore, this initiative should serve as a springboard to other youth development opportunities,” she said.
She also informed those present that it is a known fact that the disconnect existing between training needs and employment opportunities has unfortunately increased youth unemployment in Namibia.
“Nevertheless, the government is committed to youth empowerment and mainstreaming of youth issues to promote shared responsibility among young people for sustainable development in terms of the youth policy framework,” she said.
Frederick added that such government policies would emphasise the urgency of youth participation, which promote the fact that youth cannot continue to be job seekers but must become creators of employment and find opportunities to free themselves from the cycle of poverty.
“My office is promoting the ‘Go Green Strategy, the green economy to foster socio-economic development in the region and that has become my vision,” said the regional representative of President Hage Geingob.
She continued that she regards agriculture as the most promising sector to address, not only food security but a sector, if given proper investment in terms of financial and other resources that will have the capacity to create jobs for our young people.
“With our strength in land and water, especially in Bethanie, I believe that agriculture is currently our best choice” she said.
She furthermore advised the audience that, with collaborative partnership and support from effective and functional higher strategic stakeholders the region is well-positioned to be assisted with capacity building and technological enhancement for greater industrialisation in agricultural industries.