A Nigerian couple who lived in Namibia for over 30 years saw that the country faced a critical need for technical skills and established Shalom Vocational Training Centre in Grootfointein serving the unemployed youth in various trades. 

While vocational education and training (VET) systems are increasingly seen as an important element of national socio-economic strategies internationally, the field of VET has been seen neglected in Namibia.

Internationally, VET in particular has been identified as an important tool in addressing youth unemployment and poverty, on the one hand, and promoting international competitiveness on the other.

Former specialist and head of agriculture at Berg Aukas youth skills training centre in Grootfontein, Buba Gure, together with his wife Diana, moved to Namibia in 1991.

“We are the owners of this institution. This institution started as a joke. I didn’t know my wife was watching my passion when I was busy with young people and the children of the liberation struggle at Berg Aukas. We then decided after my retirement to impart skills to young people. We are fighting a just course and it will help build this country. We want to give the youth the courses which are beneficial to national development goals,” Gure narrates.

Before retirement, Gure was running a training programme where 150 expatriates from Nigeria helped offer vocational education to young people at Berg Aukas.  

Gure said his wife picked up the passion and they decided to start up a vocational training centre to give the unemployed youth technical skills in various trades. 

Established in 2018, Shalom centre offers courses such as agriculture, clothing production, occupational health and safety, general electrical, joinery and cabinet making, office administration, basic computer literacy, and counselling.

 “We have a small area but we want to diversify. Almost every component of agriculture such as poultry, livestock, and crop production is accommodated. The students are learning how to propagate trees, which are sourced from outside and those locally obtained,” he noted.

The centre has a hostel to accommodate those in need.

Namibia Training Authority (NTA) accredits the courses and gives Shalom centre a number of students to recruit per course. 

Equally, NTA provides grants to students that are used to buy materials and pay instructors.

There are about 100 students enrolled, with about 10 instructors. 

The centre started operating in 2018.

The duo is currently operating on a piece of land that belongs to NamWater. Therefore, they called on good Samaritans to offer them land so they expand their operations.

“We are appealing to Grootfontein municipality to avail a bigger land for us to establish a permanent institute and have a better place to practice agriculture for our children. We have approached the municipality and I am hopeful the feedback will be positive. We need at least 20 hectares,” he pleaded.

The centre has planted grapes, onions, cabbages, paw paw trees, Japanese potatoes, and lucerne, among other produce.

They also sell chicken eggs to the communities around Grootfontein.

“If you go to our correctional services, you will sympathise with the trend of events because only young people are in prison while they are supposed to be here acquiring skills. I am calling on everyone that this is the institution for the masses because we have a lot of marginalised people,” he said.

He is optimistic about future expansions as they recently opened a satellite centre in Nkurenkuru.

A student enrolled at Shalom, Cornelia Hausiku is venturing into agriculture.

“I am proud to choose this course because it’s my dream. I want to become a farmer because we are importing food from outside and we want to provide our own food in Namibia,” she said.

Haushona Ndjamba also doing agriculture pointed out it’s an important course as horticulture and agronomy is the backbone of Namibia.

“Namibia survives from agriculture, so we need to improve food security and not depend on South Africa to get food. We must feed ourselves and improve our economy,” he encouraged.

Saara Johannes is also studying agriculture. 

She encouraged the young people who are idle at home to go for vocational training and become job creators. 

–anakale@nepc.com.na