Men on the Side of the Road

Various initiatives are being established in Namibia in an effort to decrease the country’s 36% unemployment rate. Among these initiatives is Men on the Side of the Road (MSR).
Established in 2007 by the Dutch Reformed Church Eros, the initiative is a registered welfare and non-profit organisation in Windhoek that aims to improve the skills of Namibian men as well as to prepare them for the job market

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In that respect, Pius Shambabi, a member of  the initiative since 2011 is clear testament of how the programme really works. Having attended the Men on the Side of the Road life-skills course as well as a computer literacy course, Shimbabi has has been able to accomplish several achievements.
During his journey, Shambabi has been able to work as a project-coordinator for the Paper Block project, an MSR initiative. In November 2012, he was awarded by the owner of SMEs Compete the opportunity to work at the SME offices as a switchboard operator and to support the training team. In 2013, Shambabi was awarded with a PC donation from Salt Essential IT. The Polytechnic of Namibia has also appointed Shambabi as part of a one-year internship in the IT Faculty.
Through the practical aspect of its work, MSR is able to challenge the stigma, prejudice and discrimination faced by its members and their exclusion from access.