The National Youth Council has disbursed over N$3 million to youth forums funded across the country.
The funding assistance is split between 14 regional forums and 121 constituency youth forums to empower them and mobilise inclusive participation at grassroots level.
National Youth Council Director Calista Schwartz-Gowases said the grant would see each region get N$20,000 each and N$25,000 for each constituency forum for development activities.
"We are fulfilling the National Youth Council's mandate, advancing social, cultural and economic empowerment. Today we honour that mandate with action by dedicating N$25,000 to each constituency youth forum to implement activities in their respective constituencies, aligned with our national priorities and international youth development frameworks, and N$20,000 to each regional forum for providing oversight to the activities of the constituencies."
Schwartz-Gowases applauded members of the youth forums for continuing to represent the voices of young people across the country.
"What is making us more proud is the youth forums, who are actually the voices of the young people. Young people who under difficult circumstances are running around to ensure the activities in the constituencies are taking place without being paid. They are voluntarily doing this."
Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts, and Culture Deputy Minister Dino Ballotti used the occasion to urge local and regional councils to emulate the NYC by dedicating a budget for youth development.
"To the national youth council for championing this critical initiative, this is what caring for every young person looks like, and it is leadership such as this which is indeed commendable at a time our government has placed youth development, especially amongst youth, at the centre of our national priority. And now I know the red light is on; the clarion call is that our local authorities as well as regional councils replicate and duplicate this and also dedicate a budget to youth programmes in the regions and authorities."
Ballotti further applauded the NYC for ensuring the youth grant funds are non-repayable.