WINDHOEK
A large number of young people last week displayed the results of their efforts to create employment opportunities for themselves and other Namibian youth.
On display were the results of a project known as ‘Youth for Youth,’ initiated by the Namibia Business Innovation Institute (NBII), the School of Computing and Informatics and Labs Namibia, which aims to assist Polytechnic of Namibia (PON) students and other youth create projects with which they can generate an income by using Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Lisa Onwordi, Young Talents Project Manager at NBII, says the project was launched because the Institute believes that the youth are among the most precious resources in the socio-economic and technological development efforts in Namibia. “The youth hold a pivotal place as catalysts of true change in our society and they have an important role to play at the forefront of change and innovation in Namibia,” Onwordi says.
The projects were introduced during a formal ceremony held at the NBII Café Wakey Wakey in Windhoek. Mandela Kapere, Executive Chairperson of the National Youth Council of Namibia (NYC), applauded the ‘Youth for Youth’ initiative. He also made a plea to adults to consult with the youth before making any decisions that will affect them. “It is important that we include the young people in our discussions about employment challenges,” he said.
Kapere added that young people have started to express their discontent with the direction the world is taking and there is a sense of urgency among the youth, as evidenced by the current land issue that speaks to that urgency. “It is therefore important that young people be at the centre of our discussions. Their views must be considered because young people are more likely to be affected by what we decide to do. We need to put them at the centre of social innovation, especially in this era when we are lost for new ideas,” Kapere said. He pledged the NYC’s partnership with RLabs Namibia and any other institution that is interested in making a contribution to youth issues.