A total of N$3.5 million has been invested to date in the MTC 4 Life programme, which has now trained 131 young Namibians with practical business skills aimed at tackling youth unemployment.
The latest phase of the initiative saw 40 successful candidates begin three weeks of intensive, hands-on training in trades such as upholstery, hairdressing, barbering, carpentry, welding, electricity and solar installation, and brick manufacturing.
The training is currently being conducted across Ondangwa, Katima Mulilo, Swakopmund, and Windhoek.
The MTC 4 Life programme, a flagship Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiative by Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC), continues to equip unemployed youth with entrepreneurial skills to help them establish and grow small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“After almost five months since the call for applications, vetting and getting suitable and qualified trainers, and successfully conducting interviews with over 250 applicants who were shortlisted, we are now pleased that training has started with the 40 successful trainees. Capital investment in the programme since inception stands at N$3.5 million. After the current intake, the number of Namibian youth trained and who have benefited will be 131,” MTC Corporate Communications Practitioner Erasmus Nekundi said, speaking on the progress of the programme.
“As per the programme’s norm, MTC is responsible for the training cost of all trainees, and after completing the training, each trainee will receive a startup toolkit to start a business and a N$5,000 capital amount. This is to empower them to start their own micro-businesses, become self-employed, and earn a living on their own. Once they have their businesses running, MTC has contracted SME Compete (field experts) to monitor growth and provide business guidance.”
Gervasius Isaak, a 28-year-old trainee from Omitara in the Omaheke Region who is undergoing training in brick manufacturing, commended the initiative and encouraged fellow youth to embrace such opportunities.
“Being part of the MTC 4 Life programme has truly transformed the way I see myself and my future,” he said. “I feel empowered, not just with knowledge and skills, but with a sense of purpose and direction. Through the programme, I am discovering my potential and it is moulding me to become more self-reliant, confident, and hopeful. MTC 4 Life has not only impacted my life, but it has also helped me to believe in my ability to impact the world around me.”
This year’s intake attracted more than 250 expressions of interest from the Zambezi, Erongo, Hardap, and Omaheke regions — a testament to the growing demand for youth empowerment initiatives across the country.
