Ngaevarue Katjangua
Windhoek-The first Namibian Youth Investment Conference is scheduled for tomorrow at the Khomas Regional Council office in Windhoek.
Organised by a grass-roots movement of Katutura youths known as 25 Contractors, the conference, under the sponsorship of Hospice of Hope, offers a half day of presentations and discussions on youth entrepreneurship by leading and rising youth-owned businesses, to inform and inspire a new generation of start-ups in Namibia, and to build connections with potential investors. The ambitious seminar is open to each and every youth with the key objective of uplifting and empowering Namibian youth to become productive citizens both for themselves and for the country at large.
It further shows 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 SMEs, as well as to facilitate the establishment of youth owned enterprises,” in order to collectively contribute to the nation’s economic advancement by eradicating poverty and reducing unemployment amongst Namibian youth.
HANO Youth Foundation president Nocky Kaapehi is optimistic about the conference, saying he “believes it is a good initiative which will enable links between young entrepreneurs and potential investors towards access to resources such as capital, expertise and machinery. This will further enable Namibia to have more job providers.”
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 a 2017 Mandela Fellowship participant, from the Ovahimba community, and Herman Munghanya, a Katutura Youth Enterprise Centre (KAYEC) graduate and founder of 25 Contractors, are among the key mentors for the conference.
Additional support comes from the Youth Economic Empowerment Programme, KAYEC Trust and RLABS Namibia.