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Allexer Namundjembo A mental health–driven entrepreneurship programme is changing the lives of young people in Otavi by linking emotional support with practical business skills to address unemployment and poverty. The initiative was led by National Mental Health Care Namibia in partnership with Royalty Empire Investment CC and Unmatched Potential, with funding from B2Gold Namibia and Ohorongo Cement. The programme combines mental health care with business training to help young entrepreneurs rebuild confidence, earn income and regain hope. The concept was developed by Cathy Kambanda, founder of National Mental Health Care Namibia, after years of providing frontline mental health services, including…

Renthia Kaimbi The German Embassy in Windhoek has announced changes to its process for applying for a Schengen visa.  The change is aimed at simplifying travel procedures for Namibian residents. From 19 January 2026, all applications for short-stay Schengen visas to Germany and several other European countries will be handled exclusively through the external service provider TLS Contact. The embassy stated that the partnership aims to provide applicants with a more efficient and convenient application process for travel to Germany and Europe. Under the new system, applicants can expect reduced waiting times and a quicker, simpler appointment booking process. TLS…

Windhoek has gone cricket-mad. For the next few weeks the Namibia Cricket Ground and the adjacent high-performance oval are hosting 16 matches as part of the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup (co-hosted with Zimbabwe), a global showcase of rising talent running from 15 January to early February 2026. These fixtures bring international teams, visiting supporters and media to our capital, and they arrive at a moment when sport-as-development is no longer a nice-to-have but a national priority. That matters for three reasons. First, hosting international fixtures demonstrates that Namibia’s venues and administrators can run big events, a credibility boost…

Renthia Kaimbi Desert Foxes Football Club, Erongo region’s newly promoted and only representative in the FNB Women’s Super League, has appealed for financial and material support ahead of its top-flight debut on 24 January 2026. The teenage squad from Walvis Bay faces major logistical and financial demands as it prepares for competition at the elite level. The club is calling on corporations, community leaders, and residents to support the campaign. Club chairman Paulus Shipanga said travel expenses are the greatest challenge.  “Our main challenges are accommodation, transport, and meals, which will cost us about N$35,000 per travelling weekend,” Shipanga told…

Allexer Namundjembo The United Democratic Front (UDF) Youth League has asked the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport and Arts and Culture to explain a policy that allows learners to complete Grade 11 without guaranteed funding or clear pathways into further education or training. In a letter dated 13 January addressed to education minister Sanet Steenkamp, UDF Youth League secretary general Rudolf Goseb questioned how the policy affects young Namibians who complete Grade 11 but cannot progress due to lack of financial support. “It is troubling that Grade 11 learners are encouraged to complete their schooling while, in practice, many…

In the earlier part of this decade, the pinnacle of professional success was often signalled by the "grand escape". Young professionals would hoard their leave days for an entire year, sacrificing their weekends and pushing through burnout, all for the promise of a frantic, two-week international odyssey. We travel halfway across the globe to "relax", yet we spend those days navigating airport logistics, managing currency exchanges, and sticking to rigid sightseeing itineraries. By the time we returned to our desks, we often felt more exhausted than when we left, needing a "vacation from our vacation". As we close out 2025,…

Renthia Kaimbi Four former interim board members of the National Youth Council (NYC) have taken minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Sanet Steenkamp to court, claiming she breached a settlement agreement by appointing a new interim board.  The urgent application was filed last month and seeks to overturn the minister’s decision. The applicants, Hendrik Pandulomwene Theofilus, Vistoria Iita, Curtis Andrew and Serron Nghoshi, filed the case against 19 respondents, including the ministers of education and finance, the NYC and several former and current board members. They were appointed as interim board members by former minister of Sport,…

Staff Writer Showmax is producing a South African adaptation of the global comedy hit The Office, licensed by BBC Studios. The new series, titled Die Kantoor, is filmed mainly in Afrikaans. kykNET will air a preview of the first episode at 20:00 on Sunday, 18 January, ahead of the Showmax double-episode premiere on Tuesday, 20 January. It has been more than 20 years since the world was introduced to the mockumentary style of The Office, created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Metacritic lists the original British version as the best-reviewed comedy series of all time. The American version won…