Members of the Kwafela Oshiwana Group at Otjiwarongo who have voluntarily cleaned up at different areas within town under the Food and Cash for Work Programme are urged by the government and the municipality to consider them for job opportunities.

The group secretary, Helena Nuunyango, urged the government to start giving priority to volunteers for vacant entry-level jobs.

"We want to talk to the government. If any vacancies come up, they must look at us even if they employ us to just work out in the fields or give us money for these works done every time. So we do it the same as we are now doing, cleaning at the hospital."

"We volunteer ourselves twice a week. We are pleading for government and good Samaritans to help us out, since we are unemployed with school-going children. We thank the councillor today; we will get something today," adds member Rauna Kalongela. 

Otjiwarongo Constituency councillor Paulus Nekundi explained that the Food and Cash for Work Programme is mostly meant for vulnerable households in rural areas.

He says the current privately funded clean-up campaign is only a temporary income supplement to about 88 volunteers, at N$166 per day.

"So the reason is to make sure that we support our people to get something, and that something they are getting at least is going to be in circulation, so to support the local. So that is also the reason behind this exercise. but I am happy that our people, especially the elders, are really serious about these issues."

Nekundi called on the youth to embrace volunteerism, though the programme is not a long-term solution.

The region is said to have over 70,000 unemployed inhabitants.