The new leadership of the Outjo Constituency Youth Forum under the National Youth Council has engaged young people in the constituency to identify activities aimed at empowering and uplifting them.

The new leadership will serve until 2028.

It hosted a meeting to discuss initiatives that can contribute to skills development, employment creation, and youth participation in community development.

The forum has been allocated N$20,000 by the National Youth Council to support its activities and programmes until March next year.

Chairperson of the Outjo Constituency Youth Forum Maria Lucas explained.

“Because we have a high number of drug abusers in Outjo, so we asked them, actually, to come up with activities that can keep them away from certain things of this nature. Like, what do we want to develop Outjo into? Like, do we want to see a better Outjo?"

The forum identified training opportunities to equip young people with job-hunting skills and interview preparation techniques to improve their chances of securing employment as a priority.

A youth member from Outjo Constituency, Elias Hamunyela, also contributed to the discussion.

"We often say that people from other towns are taking our jobs, but that is not necessarily the case. The real issue is that our people are not adequately equipped due to a lack of knowledge about how to conduct themselves during interviews and how to complete government application forms. If we can address these issues, it will help our young people secure employment as well."

The youth also highlighted the importance of supporting learners through various training programmes. skills development in fields of hospitality, plumbing, painting, and make-up artistry to enhance their employability and promote entrepreneurship.

The meeting also proposed content creation training to enable young people to promote Outjo and showcase opportunities within the constituency through social media platforms.

Another suggestion raised was the hosting of talent shows to provide a platform for young people to display their abilities and creativity.