Youth and elders in Okahandja gathered today at the Old Nau-aib Community Hall for a youth meeting aimed at uniting young people around common challenges and solutions.  

The meeting, organised by social activist Sethy Gariseb, focused on gender-based violence, alcohol and drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, study and funding opportunities, unemployment and skills development, among other youth issues.  

Gariseb highlighted the recent wave of violent crime and blamed Okahandja's leadership for failing to create job opportunities for the youth.

"We had a day and night; someone was killed, and someone was raped. They used to put us in the jail, but it is not the issue of the youth. It's the issue of the leaders that we are having because why I am saying that is that they don't care about the youth. And without the youth, we are not having a future for the youth. If you can check in Okahandja, it's an industrial town to bring businesses in so that we can have employee youth."

A local youth, Lena Frans, stressed that local businesses must prioritise hiring Okahandja residents first.

"I wish the government to create jobs for us in Okahandja, even in the shop; we wish to prioritise the youth of Okahandja."

A pensioner at Okahandja, Mackey Christiaan accused local institutions of shutting out the town's youth from available job opportunities.

"There are places such as hospitals that have openings, but when it comes to the youth in Okahandja, they are denied the opportunities to be employed, and the youth here are just at home doing nothing."

She said unemployment remains a major problem for the youth and called on government and the municipality to create real job opportunities so that young people can have a better future.  

The meeting was held under the theme "United Youth, A Stronger Okahandja!"