Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) has announced that 50 successful candidates from the ‘MTC 4LIFE’ initiative have begun their two-week training in Windhoek and Ongwediva.

The N.dollars 2.6 million project is a socioeconomic endeavour to combat poverty by reducing youth unemployment through empowering Namibians to become self-employed in the SME sector, the company said.

“It aims to achieve this goal by providing a training and upscaling programme for young people aged 21-35 to gain practical and entrepreneurial skills as well as a life-changing opportunity to earn a living in the fields of photography, graphic design, barbering, make-up, nail technology, hairdressing, catering, sewing, baking and manufacturing.”

MTC has chosen five trainees for each of the 10 trades offered.

MTC Public Relations Officer, Erasmus Nekundi in a press release on Tuesday said that after successfully conducting interviews with 200 applicants who were shortlisted, 50 successful candidates were selected and have begun training as planned.

“We have candidate representatives from all regions while also including persons living with disabilities. MTC will pay for their training costs, and upon completion of the training, each trainee will receive a start-up toolkit and N.dollars 5 000 capital amount. This will enable them to start their own microbusinesses, become self-employed, and earn a living on their own,” he explained.

In addition to the training, participants will undergo entrepreneurial training to learn how to run a business.

Once they have their businesses up and running, field experts will monitor growth, facilitate business expansion and provide additional business guidance.

Tresia Ngjuulongo, the only female trainee in the barber/haircutting trade from Eenhana, was quoted as applauding MTC for the initiative and urging fellow trainees in other trades to fully utilise the opportunity to empower themselves.

Trudie Gowases from Usakos, training to improve her skills as a nail technician, said there is not much variety when it comes to nail art in Usakos, so she applied for the programme to learn about the different varieties.

“I want to be known as the best nail technician in my community. I’m hoping that the first group of trainees do not disappoint so that MTC can give this opportunity to others in the next round,” she said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency