One Economy, FNB launch N$400 000 upliftment campaign

For the youth
The One Economy Foundation has launched its “Empower to Earn” initiative, equipping Namibian youth with practical skills to turn opportunities into sustainable livelihoods.
Marina Antonio
  • 9 Hours Ago

The One Economy Foundation last week launched its “Empower to Earn” initiative in the capital.

With a N$400 000 investment from the FirstRand Namibia Foundation Trust, the programme is a strategic collaboration with FNB Namibia aimed at uplifting Namibian youth.

By providing practical, market-ready skills, the initiative seeks to bridge the gap between vocational development and economic participation. It specifically targets young people outside major urban centres, where opportunities are limited and unemployment continues to rise.

Operations manager Saddam Biwa said that the team conducted studies in towns including Okahandja, Groot Aub, and Rehoboth to identify skills that could directly address unemployment. Catering, baking, hairdressing, barbering, agriculture, and crop production were prioritised.

Based on these findings, the organisation will deliver a two-day intensive workshop to 90 young people from these towns, running from 26 February to 6 March. The sessions will focus on hands-on skills, entrepreneurship training, and integrated financial literacy. The initiative also includes a structured post-training phase offering business coaching, mentorship, and ongoing support.

Executive director Paulina Thomas-Kahupi noted that “far too many of our young people continue to be excluded from meaningful economic participation. In peri-urban and semi-rural communities, youth unemployment is compounded by limited access to skills training, entrepreneurship support, and financial capability development.”


Addressing the issue

She added that evidence-based, long-term interventions that link skills to income, such as Empower to Earn, are key to addressing youth unemployment.

Speaking on behalf of FNB Namibia, Head of SMEs Nesdha de Jongh said, “We believe in shifting the narrative from job seeking to opportunity creation.” He emphasised that equipping young people with market-relevant skills actively enables income generation and long-term self-reliance, aligning directly with the bank’s mandate for inclusive economic growth.

De Jongh described the N$400 000 investment as a “belief” in the potential of young Namibians and stressed that partnerships like this are essential for creating programmes that are both relevant and scalable.

Closing the event, Mavis Elias, Director of Resource Mobilisation and Partnerships, thanked the FirstRand Namibia Foundation Trust, reminding attendees that “young people are not passive beneficiaries of development, but contributors to economic growth when given the tools.”