The founder of the Rundu Youth Academy of Arts, Sakaria Shipinga, blames the lack of youth centres, financial assistance, and programs for many talented youth losing focus and feeling left out.
Shipanga made these remarks during the African Peer Review Mechanism National Structures Sensitisation Programme recently held in Rundu.
"We lack facilities in our communities. When you look at the Sauyemwa community and Ndama, you will find out that we don't have facilities for our training. Who is in charge of identifying youth and recording and reporting programs, and where is this responsibility located? The youth are the future of the world. How can they become the future of the world if we don't support them?"
The Chairperson of the Northeast Association of the Visually Impaired, Dominga Mema, raised concern about visually impaired inclusion, stating that people with visual impairment challenges and any form of disability should be treated equally because they are part of society and decision-making.
"The aim was for us to read here and comment on what is inside, but now Dominga is a completely blind woman who cannot read this flyer. Now for her, she is going to keep it and take it home, and people will read it for her. After the meeting is already over. This is already an exclusion on our part, as visually impaired people who cannot read in black and white. Something embroidered was supposed to be prepared for a visually impaired person. So, I think it is a recommendation that disability inclusion should be prioritised as well."
Alfons Maketo, the outgoing Board Chairperson of the Namibian Federation of the Visually Impaired, also shared his concerns on the exclusion of people with disabilities.
"On the issues of the visually impaired persons, it is not a walk in a park for me to decide that I want to enrol in a certain institution because the barriers are just too much. The teaching aids, the environment, and many other things are far-fetched for us to be competitive."
In response to these challenges raised, the National Focal Point and CEO for the African Peer Review Mechanism National Secretariat, Lineekela Mboti, acknowledged the need to improve on the needs of the visually impaired, as they also form part of the society when making informative governance decisions.
"We are very sorry. Next time we are going to improve. It is not our intention to exclude you. Everybody from all corners of society must participate in this process. We are improving. Clearly, we have taken note of that one as a secretariat. Please accept our sincere apologies."