Onesmus Embula
WINHDOEK – Regional Councillor for !Nami#us Constituency, Jan Scholtz has dedicated his spare time to becoming an author by writing a “Youth Leaders Guide” booklet that seeks to uplift the living standards of the youth and community he serves.
Scholtz said he had noticed that many young people struggle with writing business plans and project proposals that will secure investors and potential sponsors to fund their ideas, hence he realised the need to compile a ‘Youth Leaders Guide’ booklet. He said the booklet provides mentorship and step-by-step guidance for project and business plan writing. He further says an objective of the booklet is to empower youth and aspiring entrepreneurs with basic skills on how to involve the community in planning, formulating as well as executing business projects.
According to Scholtz, the ‘Youth Leaders Guide’ includes practical examples of business plans with detailed outlines. “I have decided to share my skills in order to improve the social, economic and cultural conditions of this country with particular focus on the youth,” he said, adding that “knowledge is powe”.
The booklet was published in July this year with the help of a sponsorship from Marco Fishing (Pty) Ltd. Scholtz also revealed that there are close to 500 copies of this booklet currently available at junior town councils and regional youth offices. He added that the booklet will also be available on request, citing the letter he received from a certain inmate from the Windhoek Correctional Facility who is serving the last chapter of his sentencing and thus looking for direction to shape his ideas upon walking out of the prison cells. The inmate thus requested the booklet with the hope to find a business solutions approach.
In his free time, Scholtz avails his abilities and resources to the community selflessly. He initially worked for about seven years as a teacher where he impacted many lives and shaped various individual career paths. For 16 years he worked as a youth officer under the then Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture (MYNSSC) where he facilitated youth projects, leadership development and many other youth activities.