N$45m for youth campus
Construction well underway
The #BeFree Centre of Excellence, a state-of-the-art youth campus being constructed by the One Economy Foundation, is well underway - with phase one of the centre set to be launched on 1 September.
The centre will act as a safe space for young people and is situated at the Katutura Youth Complex.
According to First Lady Monica Geingos, the youth campus will cost an estimated N$45 million.
“It is an incredible amount of money. Contrary to speculation: No, I do not have that kind of money myself. If I had it, I would be in the Bahamas.
“I don’t have N$45 million. We have spent the last five years fundraising for this centre and we are still not done,” she said.
She added that the centre aims to speak to the needs of young people, and will have a range of state-of-the-art facilities such a library; a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) centre; an entrepreneurial lab; a gym; a recording studio, and a clinic - among other things - which can be utilised free of charge.
“We don’t want to worry about why young people are coming to the centre. If they want to come and see a mental health expert, let them. If they want to visit the clinic, let them. We just need to have young people in a place where they can be safe,” Geingos said.
The youth campus will be membership-based, requiring interested individuals to formally sign up.
Public-private partnership
On the location, Geingos said: “We specifically wanted to be here in Katutura because in many of our activations, there were young people around the ages of 13 and 14 who have never been to the so-called town, and that shouldn’t be.
“They shouldn’t have to walk long distances or take taxis to access the free Wi-Fi that will be available at the centre.”
The land on which the building is being constructed has been availed by the ministry of sport, youth and national service and will be donated back to the ministry by the One Economy Foundation after completion.
“On 1 September, we will hand over the keys to this building to the ministry of youth as a donation to the youth development of this country and this will be the biggest public-private partnership in youth development in this country,” Geingos said.
The centre will act as a safe space for young people and is situated at the Katutura Youth Complex.
According to First Lady Monica Geingos, the youth campus will cost an estimated N$45 million.
“It is an incredible amount of money. Contrary to speculation: No, I do not have that kind of money myself. If I had it, I would be in the Bahamas.
“I don’t have N$45 million. We have spent the last five years fundraising for this centre and we are still not done,” she said.
She added that the centre aims to speak to the needs of young people, and will have a range of state-of-the-art facilities such a library; a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) centre; an entrepreneurial lab; a gym; a recording studio, and a clinic - among other things - which can be utilised free of charge.
“We don’t want to worry about why young people are coming to the centre. If they want to come and see a mental health expert, let them. If they want to visit the clinic, let them. We just need to have young people in a place where they can be safe,” Geingos said.
The youth campus will be membership-based, requiring interested individuals to formally sign up.
Public-private partnership
On the location, Geingos said: “We specifically wanted to be here in Katutura because in many of our activations, there were young people around the ages of 13 and 14 who have never been to the so-called town, and that shouldn’t be.
“They shouldn’t have to walk long distances or take taxis to access the free Wi-Fi that will be available at the centre.”
The land on which the building is being constructed has been availed by the ministry of sport, youth and national service and will be donated back to the ministry by the One Economy Foundation after completion.
“On 1 September, we will hand over the keys to this building to the ministry of youth as a donation to the youth development of this country and this will be the biggest public-private partnership in youth development in this country,” Geingos said.
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