Taimi Haihambo
Helao Nafidi – Amid growing concerns about youth unemployment, Governor of the Ohangwena region, Kadiva Hamutumwa has assured graduates that the solution
to their joblessness has already arrived— through the National Youth Development Fund (NYDF).
Addressing the 3rd Joint Graduation Ceremony of the NEV TVET Hub graduation ceremony, a collaboration between Nakayale, Eenhana, and Valombola Vocational Training Centres, Hamutumwa urged the 610 graduates not to lose hope after leaving the ceremony hall, saying the government has created tangible pathways for them to start their own ventures and create jobs for others.
“You may be asking yourselves where all these over 610 graduates will find employment. I am here to tell you that the solution has come to you. The government has taken note of the high level of unemployment among our youth, and the National Youth Development Fund was established exactly for that reason, to support your creative ideas and help you create employment for yourself and others,” she said.
The National Youth Development Fund, which was launched in September 2025 and capitalised with over N$257 million, is financing youth-oriented projects and businesses in all 14 regions. The initiative aims to empower young Namibians turn their skills into sustainable enterprises and reduce dependence on formal employment.
Hamutumwa encouraged the graduates to be proactive and seize the opportunity to apply for funding.
“Let me take this opportunity to inform the graduates that the three applicants per region who benefited from the first round will not be the only ones,” she emphasised.
“I therefore encourage you today to seize the opportunity, dream big about what you wish to establish, and apply for funding. Create employment for yourself and others,” she added.
The NEV TVET Hub graduation celebrated students from 22 occupational areas, reflecting the government’s growing investment in technical and vocational education. Hamutumwa highlighted that the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) has already begun upgrading several Vocational Training Centres into Technikon Colleges, a move that will allow graduates to progress toward higher-level qualifications within their regions.
“This is a game-changer. It ensures that our young people are not limited in how far they can go, and it strengthens the capacity of our regions to produce home-grown expertise,” she said.
Hamutumwa also called on graduates to move beyond the traditional mindset of job-seeking, urging them instead to become creators and contributors to the economy.
“Namibia needs you, not just to be job seekers, but job creators,” she said.
“The future belongs to blue-collar professionals: plumbers, electricians, builders, IT technicians, and hospitality experts. These are the trades that build nations,” said Hamutumwa.
She further appealed to parents and guardians to continue supporting their children as they transition into the next chapter of their lives.
“After today, the excitement of graduation may fade because the graduate has not found a job. Demotivation may set in, but I say this, continue being the rock and support system to which the youth look upon,” she emphasised.
Hamutumwa concluded by reminding the graduates that this milestone marks the start of greater responsibilities and opportunities.
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