Kinney Ndopu

Namibian young people have been called upon to work together with experienced leaders to foster successful and equitable intergenerational relations and partnerships.

Deputy Minister of Sports, Youth and National Service Emma Kantema-Gaomas made these remarks during the commemoration of International Youth Day in the Zambezi region on Friday.

The day is celebrated annually on 12 August, with the aim of bringing issues affecting young people to the attention of local and international society. This year, the day was celebrated under the theme ‘Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for all Ages’.

In a speech read on her behalf by the ministry’s executive director Erastus Haitengela, Kantema-Gaomas stressed that it is only when young people and experienced leaders work together that a prosperous Namibia can be realised.

“The possibility of opportunities are many if we, young and old people, combine the wisdom and the experience of the elders with the potential and energy of the youth,” she said.

She further stated that her ministry remains committed to promote youth empowerment programmes. According to Kantema-Gaomas, this is evident as the ministry facilitated the creation of 121 youth enterprises, and 28 of them received funding to the tune of N$8 million from the Development Bank of Namibia.

The ministry is still working tirelessly to ensure that the remaining 98 are also given a headstart, focusing mainly on skills development, entrepreneurship development and capacity-building.

“Our mandate is indeed geared towards creating a conductive environment in which the ambitions and dreams of our youth can be turned into reality, including the aspiration and dream to start a business, find a decent job, have access to education, to be healthy and be in a safe environment’,’ added Kantema-Gaomas.