The youth in Omaruru are concerned about the lack of youth activities and employment opportunities available for them at the town and say they feel neglected.

In recent interviews with Nampa, some of the youth said the high crime rate in the town can largely be attributed to this issue, with many young individuals forming gangs as a means of survival.

“There is very little to nothing for the young population here so most of them have resorted to crime, stealing from people in order to make a living. Some of them have turned to alcohol and drug abuse to keep themselves busy and entertained,” one concerned youth commented.

Another young man, who only identified himself as Nathan, said the only way he was able to secure the employment he currently has as a chef at a local restaurant, was by commuting between Omaruru and Usakos, where he managed to attend classes at a hospitality school.

“I did not know anyone in Usakos when I started the classes, so I could not find accommodation there in the beginning. This then forced me to commute between the two towns just to ensure that I attended all my classes and did not miss out on anything,” he said.

Nathan said although it was not easy for him financially, he is grateful that he was able to complete the course, which helped him to secure the job. He said he hopes for more opportunities for other youth at the town.

Jose Loch is the 23-year-old caretaker and curator at the Omaruru Museum. He said Omaruru has a lot of potential in the tourism sector.

“It would be very important to set up a tourism or information centre because tourists would find it very useful to find out about the different tourism activities and opportunities,” he advised.

He said the youth could take advantage of the gap within the industry and look into becoming tour guides, but most of them are not motivated due to a lack of skills and start-up capital.

“The biggest struggle is always the availability of funds. Some youth might be interested in getting on board especially in terms of promoting the town through tourism, among others, however, if there is no financial gain in return for them, they will not be motivated. Some also just lack the knowledge, hence the need for investors who will invest in skills training and setting up recreational spaces where young artists will be able to polish and showcase their talents,” Loch said.

Omaruru Chief Executive Officer Valentinus Sindongo in an interview with Nampa said about 70 per cent of the town’s population consists of youth and most of them are unemployed.

“It is a known fact that if you have a working class of youth who are very energetic, this would contribute greatly to the town’s development and contribute to its economic growth but currently, there are not many opportunities available,” he acknowledged.

Sindongo said the council is in discussions with stakeholders to establish a vocational training centre specialising in key disciplines for the town, including agriculture, tourism, construction, and electrical work.

“Omaruru is surrounded by mines and mining activities, so we also want to engage the mining sector to see what skills they are looking for so that when this vocational centre is set up, it formulates a curriculum in line with what the mines want, and they are able to train the youth in those specific skills,” he noted.

Sindongo added that the council also wants to seek investors to turn Omaruru’s old hospital buildings into a hospitality school, which will enable the promotion of hospitality and tourism skills.

“Omaruru has quite a good historical background, which is one of the aspects that makes this town unique. We would therefore like to use this to grow the local tourism industry and in return hope that this will attract further investment.”

While acknowledging the challenges of implementing these initiatives, Sindongo expressed optimism that they would contribute significantly to Omaruru’s economic development.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency