Youth to assist with City clean-up
Selma Ambunda, executive of training and development at NTS and Nillo Tapopi, CEO of the City of Windhoek signing a 5-year Memorandum of Understanding in Otjimuise this week. (Photograph by Lorato Khobetsi)
According to Nillo Tapopi, City of Windhoek’s CEO, the City approached the National Youth Service after it learned about the the voluntary service that it was offering to see whether it can get some volunteers to assist implementing some programmes that the City has embarked upon.
“We were so happy when the National Youth Service positively responded to our request and 54 volunteers were made available to us. They (volunteers) are not only disciplined but hard working and have so far de-bushed various areas in the City that were identified as safety hazards to our residents,” he said.
He said the City is very much committed to the efforts of the National Youth Service and that the agreement between the two institutions will cement the partnership and make this engagement an annual programme on the City’s calendars.
He further said the importance of enhancing the cordial relationship with the National Youth Service can not be less emphasised and should grow further into future cooperation that will enable inter action with the youth and mentor the spirit of patriotism in them as future generation.
“It should be noted that many of the social challenges associated with youth problems stem from the lack of support, exposure and mentorship. It is thus important that we support programmes of the National Youth Service that are aimed at tackling the youth peril,” he said.
Also speaking at the signing ceremony, John Beukes from The National Youth Service said the institution has more than 500 trainees deployed throughout the country. In addition to the City of Windhoek volunteers, the National Youth Service trainees are also engaged in voluntary activities ranging from non-nursing tasks at various hospitals throughout the country to many other activities at the various ministries.
“In is within this context that all youth recruits in NYS have answered to the call of national duty by rendering their services to the nation voluntarily at various projects throughout the country,” he said.
The volunteers will assist the City Police with projects such as de-bushing as a way of preventing crime by addressing environmental enhancers. Other projects will include data collection of shebeens in the 19 zones as well as educational campaigns aimed at teaching shebeen owners good practice in shebeen management. The volunteers also assist with education campaigns on proper dog management in line with the City bylaws, setting up a data base of abandoned houses in the 19 zones as well, tracking street kids and homeless people so that the current committee tasked with addressing that issue has accurate and relevant information available.
Finally, the volunteers will be assisting with de-bushing and bush thinning in areas of concern where criminals are protected by thick bush. To start this project, the volunteers cleaned the site where the agreement is signed.
