Youth group tackles social issues

The Kavango East and West regions stand as a clear reminder of the harsh realities faced by its residents, where gripping poverty has ingrained itself in the daily lives of many.Driving through the streets of Rundu, parents and their young children rummage rubbish bins in a desperate search for food and anything salvageable.Moreover, in some remote villages, early child marriages are becoming increasingly normalised. Parents, burdened by economic hardship, are sometimes coerced into consenting to such practices, seeking financial benefits in exchange for the futures of their young daughters. A recent Namibian Sun probe uncovered the adverse effects of early child marriages, such as health risks and child abuse by older men.Period povertyMany girls also struggle with a lack of access to sanitary pads, which not only jeopardises the well-being of young girls but also hinders their ability to attend classes regularly.To this effect, the National Collaborative Board (NCB), a youth-led organisation, has taken a significant step towards promoting menstrual equity by committing to provide sanitary pads for young girls across the nation.NCB’s secretary general Lucas Ingashipola told Namibian Sun that the organisation will begin with its first projects in April, such as the national sanitary pad supply and sexual health awareness campaign.“This project is designed to provide sanitary pads to all 14 regions in collaboration with other youth associations and the ministry of education, arts and culture," he said.“It&#039;s our responsibility as young people to observe and solve problems in our communities. During our school and community outreach engagement programme, we have received cries concerning the lack of sanitary pads (period poverty) among schoolgirls. This poverty has led to young girls missing school during their monthly period due to a lack of sanitary products,” Ingashipola explained.Volunteering to helpThe organisation was established in 2020 to empower youth and address social challenges faced by young Namibians. "We will continue to help young people in any way that we can. This does not, however, mean that we have silver plates of resources to give to everybody. It simply means we will try by all means to help where we can,” he noted.Ingashipola also spoke on the issue of unemployment.“We cannot watch people suffer while we are waiting for government to implement employment policies, which the government hasn&#039;t been able to do for the past 33 years," he stated.He argued that "at the beginning of independence, there was a pot of money that was meant to be given to people in the form of a basic income grant. Some in government refused to give people the money, saying that they would rather create employment with that money. The money disappeared and now we are still sitting with massive unemployment."He underlined that, in his view, he believes "the basic income grant is the only solution to unemployment and poverty in Namibia."nikanor@eronog.com.na

Youth group tackles social issues

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-06

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Youth group tackles social issues

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-06

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