Rehoboth: The Rehoboth Town Council has approved a Mayoral Youth Development Fund aimed at empowering young people through education, entrepreneurship, agriculture, and skills development initiatives. The fund, approved during an ordinary council meeting, will operate under the Office of the Mayor and will be coordinated through the council's Local Economic Development Division. It seeks to provide financial and developmental support to youth aged between 18 and 35 years.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the policy document outlines that the fund will support youth entrepreneurship and innovation, educational advancement, agricultural participation, skills development, and youth-owned enterprises, while promoting inclusive local economic development. Beneficiaries will include youth entrepreneurs, students, trainees, youth cooperatives, innovation projects, and agricultural enterprises.
Funding will be sourced through sponsorships, donations, corporate social investment contributions, fundraising events, stakeholder pledges, grants, and municipal-approved contributions. Proceeds generated through the Reho Youth Connect Festival and related fundraising activities will also be channeled into the fund.
The council plans to officially launch the fund during the Reho Youth Connect Festival 2026, which takes place from 27 July to 01 August 2026. The festival will connect young people with education opportunities, entrepreneurship support services, employment pathways, agricultural development programs, and financial support partners.
Speaking to Nampa in a recent interview, Rehoboth Town Council assistant public relations officer Jammy Skrywer described the fund as a long-term investment in the town's youth. 'This fund is not merely about financial assistance. It is about creating opportunities, unlocking potential and building a generation of young people who can actively contribute to the economic growth and development of Rehoboth. Through partnerships and stakeholder support, we want to ensure that deserving youth have access to resources that can help them realise their aspirations,' he said.
Skrywer said the festival will provide a platform for young people to engage with institutions and opportunities that can help them build sustainable careers and businesses. The fund will prioritise support for registration and examination fees, vocational training, bursaries, business start-up assistance, equipment support, poultry projects, horticulture initiatives, greenhouse farming, digital skills development, and innovation projects.
Skrywer said the initiative is expected to improve access to economic opportunities, increase youth entrepreneurship and contribute to sustainable local economic development in Rehoboth.