Building financially empowered youth

WINDHOEK, Sept. 19 – “#MyNextMove” is the catchy innovative theme that Standard Bank enticed young people to get the opportunity to see what their future might hold at two prominent youth events, namely NMH Hashtag Festival and Career Fair as well as the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) International Education Day held in Windhoek this month.

In a society where innovative banking is synonymous with millennials with banking gadgets and smart apps being the order the day, hundreds of youngsters flocked to the Standard Bank innovation stands at these events as they were given the enticing opportunity to craft their own future and to make the next ultimate step of becoming financially empowered.

“While understanding the daunting and exhilarating task that goes through every young person’s mind as to what to study after high school and as to what lies ahead of them moving forward, we wanted to entice them by forging what their future might hold,” said Standard Bank’s Acting Head of Marketing Sigrid Tjijorokisa.

“At Standard Bank, we also believe in the power of education and that every individual is born to become someone great. We want every child and young person to have the tools to fulfil their potential, which includes setting and achieving their financial goals,” added Tjijorokisa.

Teaching them while they are young is key and continuously engaging with them is even more important as this will elevate their financial wellbeing in becoming financially responsible adults one day. “We want young people to imagine their future and look at the prospects of saving for their goals by dreaming big in order to achieve them,” she concluded.

Besides engaging with the Bank’s innovative brand, the youngsters entertained themselves through various competitions like virtual reality games and making their mark in the careers and fields of study that interest them.

“I like what’s happening here as I am interested becoming a Pharmacist one day. My passion is the field of medicine,” said 17-year-old Moses Moses who came all the way to the career fair from Donatus Secondary School in Otjiwarongo. As for Johanna Salkeus and Priscilla Kampfer the youth exhibitions were worthwhile as it gave them further insight in their current careers at BDO Accounting firm in Windhoek. – NDN Staffer