Call To Empower The Youth In Rural Areas

IT is on record, we are advocates for youth empowerment and rural development. But what is it that we mean exactly? By youth empowerment we imply the empowerment of citizens who fall in the category of youth irrespective of race, tribe, creed or economic status.

The facet of youth empowerment contemplated is it that includes economic, cultural, political, social and even spiritual. After all more than 50% of ourpopulation is made up of the youth.The next logical question is who shall do that empowerment? In my opinion, society at large has an important role to play in this empowerment and by extension the private sector and public sector. The answers one gets when the question is asked about empowerment in our modern society are so varying. It seems some in government or for that matter in the private sector think that a CEO/MD on the one hand and a Minister or President on the other, in terms of empowerment, can be compared to peasant subsistence farmers. Others appear to expect that in the same way they live a modern structures at the rural area, the person who is working as a security guard in Windhoek can equally afford the modern structures there.Let it be recognized however that in every society there are social classes. Today, there are those who can afford a modern house, a modern toilet and bathroom in the rural areas, but there are many who have even given up dreaming or hoping for such eventuality. Thus there is a real and an absolute need to advocate for rural development. Rural development therefore should include the ability to improve the living standards of our people in rural areas to the parity of the esteem enjoyed by folks who habitually reside in well-to-do urban dwellings. The incentives of economic empowerment can be used to support rural development. In other words, everything must be done to actualize rural development. Ironically, and to a certain extent, the informal settlements in the urban areas are far better off than the rural areas. For instance, when one sees the informal structures of Noordoewer fully equipped with electricity and running water, the spark of hope flames in one’s mind to think and imagine that it is possible elsewhere. Equally when one sees Block C informal settlement in Rehoboth, again it becomes evident that such empowerment measures are possible elsewhere. It is on the basis thereof that I decided to pen this short letter and hopefully it will get us all thinking about practical and quantifiable measures towards youth empowerment and rural development.Dr Elijah NgurareWINDHOEK