Sostenus Wilherm
Rehoboth’s newly launched Mayoral Youth Development Fund has secured N$180 000 in cash pledges, alongside training opportunities and a commitment from the Social Security Commission to become its founding partner for more than three years.
The commitments were announced during a gala dinner in Rehoboth, where the council officially launched the fund as a practical intervention aimed at moving young people from unemployment and dependency towards entrepreneurship, skills development and economic participation.
The fund, established through the office of the mayor following the “Reho Let’s Talk” campaign, is intended to turn discussions about youth challenges into tangible opportunities.
Beyond the N$180 000 in cash pledges, the International Training College of Lingua pledged N$63 000 in training support, covering three students to pursue any accredited course of their choice.
Loxton Butchery also pledged training opportunities for 10 emerging piggery farmers, together with a start-up package of three pigs for each participant upon completion of the training.
The support effectively links skills development to enterprise creation, with beneficiaries expected to emerge with practical knowledge and the means to begin income-generating activities.
A major development at the launch was the Social Security Commission’s commitment to become the founding partner of the Mayoral Youth Development Fund and support the initiative for a period exceeding three years.
The long-term partnership is expected to provide greater stability to a fund whose ambitions extend beyond one-off donations and towards building a sustainable youth development ecosystem.
Mayor of Rehoboth, Jacky Jackson ≠Khariseb, thanked the partners for their commitments and said the council would continue working to ensure young people are properly prepared for future economic opportunities.
“We thank the already pledged and committed support and continue to work on strategies from the mayor’s office and beyond to ensure that our young people are capacitated and empowered,” ≠Khariseb said.
The mayor stressed that preparations must begin before emerging industries create opportunities.
“Moreover, we must also think beyond today. We are preparing our young people for the economy that is coming,” he said.
He specifically pointed to green hydrogen, oil, gas and petroleum, as well as other emerging industries, warning that young people cannot afford to wait until these opportunities arrive before acquiring the necessary skills.
“We cannot wait until the opportunity arrives before we begin preparing our children, we must prepare before the envisioned opportunity appears,” ≠Khariseb stated.
The fund’s patron, deputy minister of education, innovation, youth, sports, arts and culture, Dino Balloti, described the initiative as a courageous move by a local authority to invest beyond immediate service-delivery demands.
“It took courage to embark on this journey,” Balloti said, adding that it was important for a local authority to ask what it was doing to secure the next generation of entrepreneurs, professionals and leaders.
Balloti said youth development could not be achieved by one institution alone.
“The government cannot legislate opportunity into existence. A local authority, however committed, cannot fund every idea. The private sector cannot mentor every young entrepreneur, and young people, however determined, cannot build sustainable futures without the ecosystem of support that surrounds it.”
He further urged businesses to see their contributions as investments rather than charity.
“Your investment in this fund is not charity. It is one of the wisest economic decisions that you will make. A thriving, skilled and economically active youth population is the surest foundation for a prosperous Namibia,” Balloti said.
The fund will place emphasis on accountability, fairness and transparency, including a beneficiary-selection system designed to ensure that assistance reaches young people who genuinely need support and can effectively use the opportunities provided.
The launch brought together senior government officials, including deputy minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security Eduard Wambo, Hardap governor Riaan McNab and Hardap regional council chairperson Simon Gerhardus Kooper, alongside councillors, private-sector representatives and community leaders.
