WINDHOEK: Twenty one unemployed youth from the Afrikaner Traditional Authority received training from the Institute for Management and Leadership Training (IMLT) in entrepreneurship skills, capacity building, leadership training and community development over the past two weeks.

At the handing over ceremony of certificates on Friday, Chief of the Afrikaner Traditional Authority Isak Gowaseb explained that the aim is to bring unemployed youth from the clan into the mainstream of the economy of the country.

“It is important that the role that young people can play as agents for change and innovators in the business sector, and to be recognized. Such recognition can encourage sustainable development, economic growth and the alleviation of poverty,” he noted.

The lack of jobs for young people in the country is an immense challenge, according to Gowaseb.

Despite the challenge of the high unemployed rate in the country, he proposed that leaders should effectively tackle the hurdles young people are facing today.

IMLT Facilitator, Luke Kutondokua explained that the youoht need to acquire much-needed tools to enable them to effectively plan for their development needs.

Meanwhile, a recipient, Rhona Bantam, who is also rewriting her Grade 12 examination this year, applauded the traditional authority for providing the much-needed opportunity to the students.

She said she better understands now on how to operate a business and to draw up a business plan.

“I have learned a lot and can use this information to start my own business,” she said.

The course is taking place over a period of eight weeks.

The IMLT started out in 1984 as a combined project between the Hanns Seidel Foundation and the then Windhoek Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the main aim to provide training and capacity building programmes to small and medium sized formal business.

The IMLT currently have two programme areas, namely: entrepreneurial development and civil society development.