By Wezi Tjaronda WINDHOEK Tired of sitting and waiting for employment opportunities that do not seem to be coming their way, a group of young people from Otjimati and Kalk-pan have teamed up to establish a joinery and cabinet-making project. Almost all of them are Grade 10 dropouts who failed to complete their education which, they say, does not impede them in their attempt to do something with their hands to earn a living. Some of the products they intend to manufacture, which the community buys from Gobabis, include cupboards and cabinets, coffins, kiosks and many other products made of wood. The envisaged mortuary in Epukiro this year has strengthened their desire for the project, which will enable community members to source coffins from nearby. Team leader of Ngaturitunge Youth Joinery and Cabinet Making Project, Charles Tjaronda, said recently that many people could not afford to travel to towns such as Gobabis to buy coffins. “We want to offer our services to our community who do not have a lot of money, by selling products and selling them at cheaper prices,” he said. The members of the project are Dave Tjituka, Vatyavi Mbura, two Tjaronda brothers, Charles and Mike from Otjimati, and one young woman, Erna Muundjua from Kalkpan. The two villages form part of the Epukiro Constituency. After the closing of a cabinet-making business at Epukiro Post 3, this may turn out to be the only project of its kind in three if not all of the constituencies in Omaheke region. Tjituka said lack of job opportunities in the constituency led them to think of other ways of making money for themselves. “We have no work and after all, jobs are scarce,” he said, adding that apart from making money when the project starts, they will also motivate other young people to start other businesses. Some of the business opportunities in the area are making saddles, weaving chairs, baking bread to supply to schools, building houses, plumbing especially that there is a project in Epukiro to upgrade the sewerage system, and many others. But this is just a dream which they say can be realized only if they get assistance. All except two members of the project are people who have not had gainful employment since they dropped out of school a couple of years back. “All we have is an idea which will not be realized if assistance is not forthcoming,” said Tjaronda, who is also the only member of the team who has a certificate in woodwork. “We would like to start as soon as possible, but it all depends on how quick we get assistance. We can start as early as February as people are dying and getting married every day,” he added. Apart from Charles who did a course in woodwork, the rest will have to be trained through an arrangement the project will make with people who are already in business. All the project needs at present to start off the ground is material, tools and equipment. The team is now in the process of drawing up a proposal which will be submitted to different funding institutions for consideration for financial and technical support.