In Concert With Ngurare

I WAS happy to read a letter in the Friday edition of The Namibian titled ‘Call to empower the youth in rural areas’ by Dr. Elijah Ngurare of the Swapo Youth League. I want to agree with the sentiments he raised and also to raise some suggestions myself. In my experience, I have found that empowerment in Namibia means different things to many people.

I WAS happy to read a letter in the Friday edition of The Namibian titled ‘Call to empower the youth in rural areas’ by Dr. Elijah Ngurare of the Swapo Youth League. I want to agree with the sentiments he raised and also to raise some suggestions myself. In my experience, I have found that empowerment in Namibia means different things to many people.
For example, a Minister or Permanent Secretary are often the first to get access to opportunities of empowerment by virtue of their offices. But this Minister or PS does not think of rural youth but of himself and family. I suggest that maybe your esteemed newspaper could find out from government and private sector the barometer of empowerment. Are some rural areas more empowered than others if so why?
I also suggest that Bank Windhoek, Standard Bank, FNB, NHE and DBN should be willing and ready to grant loans to rural areas in order for houses to be built affordably. This is how I interpret the intention of Dr Ngurare when he continuously talks about rural development and building modern toilets in rural areas. I agree with this campaign which is worthy of the nation’s support. As a health professional, I fully endorse the call to empower rural youth and thereby promote rural development. In my opinion, the Government can also revitalise the idea of cultural villages and implement the idea speedily.
It feels so good when one visits Europe and you are taken to rural areas to visit places of cultural and historic importance. I wonder if one were to visit Okatana, Epukiro or Okombahe, why the local authorities there don’t highlight some areas for their historic and cultural importance.
In this way I think that our rural towns and areas will also benefit a lot from tourism which could then also help alleviate unemployment amongst the rural youth.

S A Hangula
Oshakati