Nghilokwavali yamoses, a young man from Ohailulu village in the Endola constituency, first heard of the Rural Employment Scheme back in 2013.
He was in his second year at the University of Namibia pursuing a Bachelor of Education, specialising in Adult Education and Community Development.
Just 21 years old, he was full of energy, passion and a desire to bring change to his village.
When he saw the programme advertised in a local newspaper, YaMoses felt it was the opportunity he had been waiting for – a chance to apply what he was learning to real-world challenges.
With guidance from his lecturers, he applied for a grant through his regional council.
His plan, developed in close collaboration with his community, was to start a pig farming project.
The income would be used to not only boost local food security but to fund much-needed community infrastructure, such as a kindergarten, basic utilities like water and electricity, and a library.
Determined to succeed, YaMoses submitted the required documents ahead of schedule, ensuring that the project proposal covered every detail.
However, what followed was months of silence.
Despite repeated phone calls to the regional council, YaMoses received no confirmation that his application had been received or was under consideration.
Each time, he was met with vague excuses about the relevant person being unavailable.
Eventually, he was told no funds were available for the programme. No explanation was given.
OBSTACLES
This story is not unique. Many young Namibians seize every opportunity to make a difference in their communities, only to face bureaucratic obstacles, unresponsiveness and broken promises.
It is disheartening to see the potential of youth initiatives stifled by inefficiency and a lack of accountability from those supposed to support them.
Public servants responsible for managing such schemes need to recognise the impact of their action or inaction.
When a promising initiative like the Rural Employment Scheme is poorly implemented, it does more harm than good, leaving young people disillusioned and communities underdeveloped.
Ohailulu village, like many rural areas, continues to struggle with a lack of basic services and opportunities like this plan could have helped address such challenges.
The Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Child Welfare rolls out income generating activities every year to help communities create sustainable livelihoods.
Likewise, the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development is running both the Rural Employment Scheme and an equipment scheme to support SMEs and community groups.
Submissions for these programmes are due on 30 October.
While these schemes are promising on paper, YaMoses’ experience serves as a cautionary tale about the gap between promises and reality.
YOUTH NEED A FAIR CHANCE
It is time for those in authority to understand the crucial role they play in shaping the future of rural Namibia.
Young people like Nghilokwavali are not asking for handouts, they are asking for a fair chance to contribute to the development of their communities.
Let’s not allow the hopes and dreams of our youth to be extinguished by a system that promises much but delivers little.
The future of rural Namibia depends on transparent, accountable and effective governance. May this year’s schemes not become a repetition of 2013’s.
- Otuvalumenhu Tulipohamba Kaanduka is the founder and director of DeLA Namibia, a non-profit agricultural organisation aimed at promoting rural agri-projects; email: info.delanamibia.org@gmail.com
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