Evalistus Joao, an 18-year-old grade 11 student from the Rundu Secondary School, joined the Katutura Youth Enterprise Centre (KAYEC) school-supporting centre in 2018, and has since experienced great improvements, not only in his mental wellbeing but also as an academic scholar.
“Since joining, my self esteem has improved and I am a high performer at school. Before KAYEC, I used to mingle with the wrong people, and I was less aware of what life has to offer,” said Joao.
“I used to fail mathematics, but after several lessons from the volunteers at KAYEC, I have been passing with better grades. In grade 9, I became the best performer at my school - all thanks to KAYEC and FNB.
“For me, FNB is doing a great job for the programme. Kids at KAYEC are safe, and we are mentored and constantly learn a lot. My advice to other kids out there is: let us all come together; our future is through KAYEC and the doors are open for you.”
Abongile Mpikwa, FNB’s area sales and service manager for the far north, expressed his delight with the various success stories of KAYEC, such as Joao.
“Another success story of KAYEC is Soneha Antonio Pedro, a 26-year-old graduate of KAYEC’s Rundu youth centre, who was able to skip Grade 9 and is now a civil engineering student at NUST in his final year.
“FNB, through the FirstRand Foundation, has been assisting with funding towards KAYEC since 2016 and in this time, 630 youths from Rundu have graduated. We are proud to say that in 2020/2021, FNB through the FirstRand Foundation, committed another N$250 000.”
“The KAYEC school-supporting centre has proven to be a great investment in the youth, by shaping them to be good leaders and young entrepreneurs in Rundu since 2009,” said Nelson Prada, KAYEC Trust director.
The KAYEC programme is offered in Windhoek, Rundu, Otjiwarongo and Ondangwa. All towns run an after-school youth programme (KAYEC Youth Development), and in Windhoek and Ondangwa, the ATSE (vocational school) programme is offered. Since its beginning in 2009 in Rundu, the programme has served over 2 340 youths from 11 different schools around Rundu, and 1 820 youths have graduated.