Ambassador and beneficiary of the One Economy Foundation, Joyce Waandja said the foundation plays an important role in young Namibians and instils discipline for them to make the right decisions and shape a bright future for themselves.
“We are the agents of the change we want to see. I don’t believe in future leaders because we are already leaders,” she said during the foundation’s gala dinner in the capital recently.
Thomson Mwandingi (16) said self belief is an important attribute, that when young people have it, it can take them far.
“Mental health, unemployment are things we face in the Namibian economy, and these are issues that we need to tackle when it comes to development as they do hamper belief,” the Okahandja Secondary School 10th grader said passionately.
First Lady Monica Geingos said the existence of the #BeFree Youth Campus was built to accommodate a variety of integrated services, with the intention of focusing on multiple issues because young people rarely experience single-issue problems.
During the eighth gala dinner of the One Economy Foundation, where N$5.1 million worth of pledges were collected, Geingos said the launch of the #BeFree Youth Campus on 1 September 2023 was the beginning of a new season for the One Economy Foundation.
She said they have taken the focus on young people and adolescents to give them a sense of belonging.
“We want to give young people a sense of belonging, and that’s why we have narrowed our focus. They are a large portion of the population of this country, and to a large degree, the future economic development of our country depends on them,” Geingos stated.
She noted that some acquire unhealthy habits like substance abuse, mental health, criminal offences, and teenage pregnancies can have dire consequences on their well-being, making them experience multi-issues in life.
“Many young people struggle; successful intervention to these are needed and when dealing with young people; programmes should be holistic and not only focus on specific problems. Young people don’t have the same issues, and these problems don’t happen in a vacuum,” she stated.
President Hage Geingob graced the gala dinner that brought together high-level dignitaries, as well as partners, funders and guests in support of ONE’s mission to lessen the economic divide.
Geingob contributes a portion of his monthly remuneration towards education and the social upliftment of Namibians through the Hage Geingob Endowment Fund, which is administered and run by ONE.
- psiririka@nepc.com.na