SSC wants to fund unemployed youth association at Otjiwarongo

OTJIWARONGO, 06 APR (NAMPA) – The Social Security Commission (SSC) on Thursday extended an invitation to the newly launched Otjiwarongo Youth Empowerment Association (OYEA) to submit to it proposals for funding to be used for skills development.
Its branch manager, Richard Gwala explained at a public meeting held here that the SSC is interested in providing funds to the association through the SSC Development Fund.
He said the development fund is aimed at reducing the unemployment rate in Namibia by providing funds to viable proposals from organised youth groups or community-based organisations.
The commission’s funding schemes, he added, assists students who need bursaries or student loans, as well as funds for community projects that can create employment.
He stressed that government alone cannot create employment for everyone, therefore, the youth can be assisted to acquire practical skills at technical training centres in order for them to create employment for themselves, through that fund.
“The commission wants to assist. Unfortunately we cannot look for you in the streets and pull you down to our offices where you can get help. Do it yourself,” Gwala noted.
Launched on Tuesday, by over 50 unemployed youth at the town, OYEA aims to establish a database of unemployed youth in the Otjiwarongo Constituency.
The association’s activity coordinator, Kelao Neumbo at the launch said the idea is to establish how many unemployed youth there are in the constituency and what their skills are so they are easy to trace by companies in need of such skills.
Neumbo said a variety of seminars, music shows, clean-up activities and charity work will form part of the association’s work plan in order to empower and keep its members off the streets.
She thus called on all unemployed youth around Otjiwarongo to register with the association, which is free.

NAMPA