Okahandja youth ready to tap into N$257m youth fund

Young people at Okahandja have started to prepare to benefit from the N$257-million National Youth Fund which has been set aside by the government to fight youth unemployment.

On Saturday, a group of 30 young people gathered at Khaibasen Kindergarten at the Oshetu number one area to learn how to apply for the fund.

The meeting was organised by the Okahandja Concerned Group and addressed by Windhoek-based social justice activist Shaun Gariseb, who encouraged young people to take advantage of the opportunity.

“Improve your proposal and meet the requirements. What we are trying to do is avoid the thing where the same people are benefiting from all the provisions,” he said.

He explained that the proposals can be in anything, including entertainment and art.

As a concerned community group leader, Sethy Gariseb says Shaun was invited to Okahandja to help the young people understand the fund, continuing the work he started in Windhoek.

Sethy encourages young entrepreneurs with business ideas to prepare their proposals.

“This is what being young entails – networking, discussing ideas and ways to do things – and as Shaun says, it’s better to participate while we help improve the National Youth Development Fund.”

Aio Oanibes, who runs a small baking business, says the meeting gave her new knowledge.

“It was actually my first time attending a meeting of this sort and as a youth that is trying to run a self-funded baking business, I was not aware that I can get financial assistance from the government,” she says.

Chartered accountant Nichlaas Kayongo also helped explain other benefits of the fund such as the no collateral part.

“All you need to do is identify a business and meet the requirements for you to get funding,” he said.

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