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Home / Khorixas grapples with alcohol abuse among youth
Khorixas grapples with alcohol abuse among youth
2018-03-01Staff Report 2 Clemans Miyanicwe Windhoek-Emmil Alex Gomachab, the founding member of Khorixas Youth Empowerment Network (KYEN), says the major challenge facing youth at the town is a lack of motivation, high failure rates and alcohol abuse. “The greatest challenge faced by our youth is lack of motivation – our town has very few people in our community that can act as role models, we are most times trapped by our conscience in limiting ourselves by what we see,” said Gomachab, who also doubles as chairperson of Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) in Khorixas. There are many other problems but most of them stem from a lack of motivation, he adds. Gomachab believes Khorixas youths have lost the ability to motivate themselves. “My aim is to show others a different perspective of life and how to reconnect themselves with their dreams and hopes. A man who does not have anything to live for will settle for anything.” According to Gomachab, there are many things the youth of Khorixas can occupy their spare time with such as volunteering at schools, venturing into business and initiating income-generating projects. Youths were called upon to meet the government halfway rather than complaining all the time. “I will tell the youth to dream, get out of bed each day with an agenda, plan your day and do everything within your power to stick to that plan.” “Don’t be intimidated by your situation or circumstances, you are more than where you are today. It is never too late to work on your dreams and start making a positive impact in your community. Stop complaining – it makes you unattractive, trust God in all things and lastly be humble – that will take you far,” he urged the youth at the north-western town. KYEN was established last September by Gomachab, Ernst Mogale Karimbue, Reginald Roman, Ragel Garas, Usko Shivute and Khorixas Constituency Councilor Elias A. Xoagub, who all resolved to create space for others. The founders of KYEN want to assist community leaders in addressing the challenges that the town faces, and build on the pillars of inclusivity, integrity, courage, hard work and transparency, revealed Gomachab. KYEN objectives are to promote and/or assist economic development by capitalising on the available natural resources, e.g. education, agriculture, tourism and mining, through creating platforms that provide an opportunity for social interaction so that young people can develop local solutions to local problems. Also to promote cross-cultural understanding, and foster and develop increased learning and development opportunities for young people by encouraging and supporting them to contribute to and steer initiatives and lead youth-led projects. The group further wants to build strong relationships with organisations that share its aims, thereby further increasing the capacity of young people to build on their skills and aptitudes for their own personal growth and the community’s long-term success and development, and to generate in young people a sense of responsibility and ownership for the actions they undertake and develop their citizenship and involvement in their communities “We have identified the problems as they are clear as daylight but instead of strikes, or complaints, we are driven to be the change we want to see in the world,” Gomachab says. 2018-03-01Staff Report 2
