Patience Makwele
The First Gentleman Lt Gen (Rtd) Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah has launched the DEN Impact Foundation, a non-profit organisation aimed at addressing challenges facing Namibian youth, particularly boys and young men, through education, sports, agriculture and vocational training.
The foundation, which is independent of government, will operate under a four-year strategic plan and serve as an implementing vehicle for programmes identified through community engagements conducted by the Office of the First Gentleman.
The foundation was officially launched by Prime Minister Dr Elijah Tjitunga Ngurare at a ceremony attended by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Vice President Lucia Witbooi, government officials, academics, business representatives and other stakeholders.
Ndaitwah said his office could convene stakeholders, advocate for young people and open doors, but the foundation would be responsible for translating identified needs into programmes at community level.
“Whether the Office of the First Gentleman can convene, advocate and open doors, the foundation will design, fund, implement, monitor and report on programmes in the real communities,” he said.
The foundation’s four strategic pillars are agriculture, sports, education and vocational education and training, with its programmes intended to support young people while placing particular emphasis on boys and young men.
Ndaitwah stressed that the focus on the boy child should not be interpreted as competing with initiatives aimed at girls and women.
“The boy child is the focus but the ultimate goal is the next generation,” he said.
The foundation’s mission is to lead social development programmes that empower youth, promote gender balance, foster discipline and strengthen cultural identity in support of Namibia’s broader national development goals.
Ndaitwah said the organisation would rely on partnerships with government, the private sector, international partners, research institutions and communities, noting that no single institution had sufficient resources to address the country’s social challenges alone.
He called on private-sector and international partners to support the initiative through funding, skills development, infrastructure and mentorship.
“To our research institutions, universities, independent scholars, think tanks and development partners, work with us to deepen our understanding of the root causes of boys’ disengagement and underachievement and social vulnerability,” he said.
The foundation’s launch follows the presentation of a University of Namibia study highlighting persistent educational disparities between boys and girls, including lower progression and higher school-leaving rates among boys.
Ngurare said the findings demonstrated the need for targeted interventions, while cautioning against framing support for boys as a contest with girls.
“Helping boys overcome these modern obstacles does not mean taking opportunities away from girls,” he said.
He said the foundation would address challenges extending beyond education, including unemployment, mental health, discipline and social development.
Ngurare also called on businesses to create mentorship, apprenticeship and employment opportunities for young men, while urging parents to teach boys that expressing emotions and seeking counselling are not signs of weakness.
The foundation’s work will also include girls and young women through joint initiatives, community-based programmes and school outreach, according to Ndaitwah.
He said the approach was deliberately designed to ensure that supporting boys strengthens, rather than undermines, gains made in advancing girls and women.
The initiative is aligned with Namibia’s broader development priorities, including the Sixth National Development Plan’s focus on gender equality and equity.
Speaking on behalf of the foundation’s board and advisory council, Elizabeth Nailenge said the launch marked the beginning of the organisation’s work.
“The true measure of the DEN Impact Foundation will be seen in the lives changed, the opportunities created and the young people supported,” she said.
Nailenge called for collaboration between government, the private sector, academia, civil society, communities, parents and young people.
She said the foundation’s success would ultimately depend on whether its plans translated into tangible opportunities and measurable improvements in the lives of young Namibians.
The foundation will now enter its four-year strategic period, during which it intends to implement programmes across Namibia focused on youth development, with particular emphasis on boys and young men.
