KEETMANSHOOP - //Kharas governor Aletha Frederick has encouraged youth in Karasburg to not stare themselves blind against their challenges but treat them as opportunities to learn, grow and improve. 

She committed herself to creating platforms for the youth to engage one another and present them with opportunities.

She gave members of the National Youth Council (NYC) this assurance during an information-sharing meeting at the southeastern town on Tuesday. 

“Today we are here to engage young people to provoke them to be able to recognise and appreciate their challenges,” she explained. 

She also reasoned that challenges are not always bad or the real issue, but that it is rather the relationship one has with them that causes the most pain and difficulty. 

“What we are facing today are only challenges that are coming up to prepare us for tomorrow; because it gives us an opportunity for learning, growth, and improvement; and they help us appreciate things when they get easier,” said Frederick. 

She also advised the younger segment of the population that, through learning, they appreciate their challenges and see the opportunities in them, they will be enabled to take their power back from the situations and circumstances in their lives. The governor continued that, although there is a high level of enthusiasm to change one’s socio-economic conditions for the better, it has been observed that young people are deeply troubled by feelings of hopelessness.

“The reason for this state of mind could be attributed to the fact that many young people are not presented with the necessary opportunities to see beyond their challenging circumstances and limitations,” she added. 

Frederick said it was against this background that she directly engaged the youth during her previous community hall meetings and challenged them to organise themselves and come up with programmes and proposals to position themselves to address youth unemployment and poverty issues in their communities

“However, it is promising to see that young people are constantly striving to achieve economic independence, and for the fact that they are ready to find their identity against the background of weakening family and community structures,” she said. 

Frederick added that it is also commendable that young people realise they need to do more to provide solutions to their daily life
challenges.  

Caption: Consultative… //Kharas governor Aletha Frederick engages the youth in Karasburg.

Photo: Contributed