More than 150 students received financial assistance from the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN), in collaboration with the Namibia Mineworkers Investment Trust (NAMIT) and NAM-MIC.
The 157 beneficiaries were granted funding through the NAMIT EduFund Grant. Beneficiaries were selected from a pool of 170 applicants.
Tjambiru Maripundua, a beneficiary and law student, shared his gratitude for the life-changing opportunity the grant has provided.
“The NAMIT EduFund Grant has contributed significantly to my academic success. Your unwavering commitment to the socio-economic development of Namibia and dedication to empowering the youth through education, is truly commendable,” he said.
“After finishing school, my parents and relatives could not afford my registration fees. The final decision was either to take a gap year, look after the goats, and hope for a better financial situation the following year, or give up on my dreams entirely. I have always wanted to become a professional lawyer, and my desire to pursue a legal career started at a very young age. Without this support, doors to education and opportunities would have remained closed to me,” he shared.
He further encouraged other beneficiaries to take full advantage of the opportunity granted to them.
“We have been given a precious gift, and we now must make the most of this opportunity. Let us work hard, strive for excellence, and honour the faith that NAMIT has placed in us by becoming the leaders, innovators and change-makers that our country needs,” he said. NAM-MIC chief executive officer Joshua Kaitungwa noted that the initiative prioritises students who come from vulnerable backgrounds, orphans, children from low-income households and single-parent families.
He said the fund is designed to help first-year and returning undergraduate students secure their studies at universities, vocational training colleges and other recognised institutions across Namibia.
“The NAMIT education grant is not just about financial assistance; it is about creating access to education. We recognise that registration fees can be a significant barrier for students seeking higher education, and through this grant, we aim to remove that obstacle for as many deserving students as possible,” he said.
Since its inception in 2023, the EduFund Grant has provided over N$1 million in financial support to students pursuing studies in the fields of law, nursing, education, engineering, commerce and vocational courses across all institutions of higher learning in Namibia.