Swapo Party Vice President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, has emphasised the importance of history and its role in guiding a nation's future.
She was speaking at the Namibian Exile Kids Association's (NEKA) second central committee meeting in the capital.
Dr. Nandi-Ndaitwah said some people are undermining the importance of history, particularly among the youth, and applauds the struggle kids for fighting for the country to enjoy the full fruits of independence.
"To ensure that the history of our rights and struggles remains deeply embedded in the minds and hearts of all Namibians. It is through this understanding that we know where we are coming from and chart a path toward where we are going. As the saying goes, 'A nation without history and culture is not a nation.' Without knowing our past, we cannot truly understand our future."
She stated that some of the struggling kids, who are now adults, find themselves in situations that require significant improvement.
Ndandi-Ndaitwa urged NEKA to conduct a critical study on the skills required in industries such as green hydrogen, oil, and gas.
The Swapo Party Vice President stressed the importance of ensuring that contracts do not go to foreign companies, urging NEKA to identify children of the liberation struggle and other Namibians who can be trained.
Additionally, she highlighted the importance of NEKA running agricultural programs, not only to contribute to food security but also to create jobs for its members and their families, addressing unemployment and poverty.
NEKA's President, Kadiva Hamutumwa, emphasised the importance of NEKA's self-reliance and community empowerment.
"NEKA has adopted the philosophy of self-management, which relates to the decentralisation of power from the top to the bottom and giving power to the masses. Through the application of the self-management philosophy, NEKA has shifted from a dependency to a self-dependency or self-sufficiency mode, where we want to do for ourselves, not extending the role that the government and others in civil society play in Namibia."