With less potato production in Namibia, the National Youth Service in Rietfontein is proud to produce and sell its first harvest of potatoes to the public.

In 2021, NYS received funding from the Namibia Training Authority, through capacity-building grants, for the institution to carry out its mandate of empowering youth with skills and generating income.

One production owing its existence to the funding is potato production, with potatoes cultivated via a centre pivot irrigation system.

Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has appealed to financial institutions to lower their loan requirements for start-up capital and collateral for technical skills graduates to set up businesses.
 
Ndaitwah's views were shared on her behalf by Sports, Youth, and National Services Deputy Minister Emma Kantema-Goamas during the 5th National Youth Service Skills Graduation at the Riefontien Youth Training Centre in the Otjozondjupa Region.

The National Youth Service (NYS) and Rundu Vocational Training Centre (RVTC) have joined forces to collaborate on sharing best practises, enhancing capacity, and refining professional skills.

The parties recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Rietfontein Training Centre.

In terms of the agreement, the parties will extend attachment opportunities to trainees within mutually determined fields of study.

They will further collaborate in the process of quality assurance for Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

The Minister of Sport, Youth, and National Service, Agnes Tjongarero, has urged the new recruits of the National Youth Service at Henties Bay to embrace the training and gain skills to become self-dependent and thus contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.

More than 5,500 applications were received for this year's intake from all 121 constituencies.

This is the first time that the NYS Henties Bay Centre is open for activities since its closure in 2017, when the National Service Training moved to Rietfontein.

The National Youth Service has reiterated that the organization did not withhold the guards' salaries deliberately as alleged.

This follows a demonstration by the NYS guards earlier this week demanding full salary payment.

In a media statement, the NYS said the salaries were paid upon receipt of payment of invoices by the client as NYS solely relies on payments from clients from which the employees are remunerated.

The Minister of Sport, Youth and National Service, Agnes Tjongarero, says she is pleased with the National Youth Service programmes such as civic training, which she said instills discipline and cultivates a sense of volunteerism among the trainees.

Tjongarero said this at the 13th Pass-out Parade at Reitfontein in the Otjozondjupa Region.
 
Tjongarero says NYS plays a pivotal role in mobilising youths to contribute to the country's economic development goals as well as in fighting poverty.