SWAKOPMUND, Namibia – A three-day strategic planning workshop was recently jointly hosted by the Namibian Organisation of Youth with Disabilities (NOYD) and the National Youth Council of Namibia (NYC) at Swakopmund with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Namibia.

The workshop, which started on 28 September 2021, brought together stakeholders to discuss and develop a strategic plan to address issues facing young people with disabilities.

The NOYD, a representative organisation of youth with different disabilities was established by the NYC in 2013 to advocate for inclusion and equal opportunities for young people with disabilities across skills and development, health and welfare, economic empowerment and participation as well as civic participation.

The organisation has not been functional since its establishment, however with technical and financial support from UNFPA and the NYC in December 2019 a congress was held to elect a new leadership.

NOYD executive committee chairman Orben Muluti in his opening remarks said resolutions taken at its elective congress in 2019 involved the adoption of five focal areas pertaining to Namibian young people with disabilities.

The areas include education, employment, accessibility, representation and health.

Muluti said the NOYD has faced serious financial challenges since its establishment, which has resulted in the developing of a strategic plan being delayed.

The implementation of this was further delayed by the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Despite these challenges, our leadership continues to execute its duties as outlined in its constitution. We have advocated education, and managed to get youths with disabilities enrolled into institutions to either improve or further their education.

“We have advocated and managed to get youth with disabilities into permanent or temporary employment. We sourced donations of food items and clothes for many of our members who struggle to provide in their day-to-day essential needs on their own.

“All this important work was done by volunteers who work passionately, and are doing so on their own time and with their own money. A lot of awareness raising was also done on different media platforms.

“The efforts though are still too little. We believe more can and will be done with the support of different stakeholders,” he said.

Deputy Minister of Disability Affairs Alexia Manombe-Ncube lauded the NOYD for transforming into a “powerful organisation that is prepared to make a great impact on our country once it is fully operational”.

“I strongly hope this strategy will be able to achieve concrete solutions and positive experiences to contribute to more effective national capacity development,” she said.

UNFPA works to ensure persons with disabilities are leading efforts to make the world more inclusive and are championing equal rights and a life free from violence.