The effect of the youth credit scheme in the Omaheke region of Namibia

• Main Author: Karuuombe, Elvisia
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University 2014
• Subjects: Youth > Employment > Namibia; Youth development > Namibia; Youth > Namibia > Economic conditions
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/11135

The primary purpose of the research project was to explore the impact the Namibian Youth Credit Scheme (NYCS) modelled on the Commonwealth Youth Scheme (CYS) is impacting the programme beneficiaries in the Omaheke Region. Namibia as a whole as well as the research locale has a high percentage of youth unemployment where most of the youth experience chronic poverty with limited opportunities to change their fortunes around. Through a qualitative research strategy, the researcher set out to investigate the level and type of impact the programme has had on the beneficiaries of the programme, as well as to ascertain the challenges and sustainability thereof. The researcher utilized the opportunity provided by one of the post-training workshops by converting it into two focus groups of fifteen participants in each. Two implementing agents (IAs) were individually interviewed to gain some insight from employees into the inner working and outlook of the workers in the NYCS programme. Lastly, ten beneficiaries were interviewed as a form of internal triangulation in sourcing credible data. The research found the programme has made a tremendous difference economically in the lives and families of beneficiaries. The programme not only improved their livelihood but it also contributed educationally to their knowledge base and skills formation. Psychologically the programme improved their social outlook generally and their political stance specifically, the latter as it pertains to the NYCS programme in particular. The study concluded by making several recommendations on how the programme could improve. These recommendations are not definitive; they are suggestive. In order for the recommendations to be conclusive, several other factors in terms of the research process would have to be considered. Even so, within its research dimension the research proved the programme to be highly effective.