Staff Reporter
VICE President Lucia Witbooi has called on the youth of the Hardap and //Kharas regions to apply for the Youth for Green Hydrogen Scholarship Programme.
“This scholarship is for you. Your dreams, your talents, and your contributions are not only needed, but they are also essential. If you are a school-leaver with a passion to learn, if you are unemployed but determined to gain a skill, or if you are from a disadvantaged background and thought opportunities like these were not meant for people like you, think again. This is your time,” Witbooi urged.
She made these remarks at the Reverend Dr Kaptein Hendrik Witbooi Primary School in Gibeon, where the scholarship’s call for applications was officially launched. Witbooi explained that the initiative is a targeted skills development programme, with N$25 million secured specifically to support students from the southern regions in acquiring skills relevant to the green hydrogen sector.
The Vice President highlighted that Namibia has the potential to become a globally competitive producer of green hydrogen and its derivatives, but this requires investment in people who can contribute meaningfully to the sector.
“That is why we are putting particular focus on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). This green hydrogen economy will not only need scientists and engineers, it will require technicians, welders, electricians, plumbers and safety inspectors. These are the trades which will form the backbone of Namibia’s green industrial future,” Witbooi said.
She revealed that the Scholarship Programme will offer opportunities to Namibian youth, aged 18 to 35, from the Hardap and //Kharas regions, to undergo training in TVET certificate courses in occupations relevant to the green hydrogen value chain and other sectors. She highlighted Welding and Boilermaking, Fitting and Turning, Solar Installation and Maintenance, Automotive Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, and Plumbing and Pipe Fitting as some of the key occupational areas that will be funded.
“I therefore want to take this moment to speak directly to our young people here in the south, in the Hardap and ||Kharas regions, in many towns and villages across these vast and beautiful parts of the country. You are not forgotten,” the vice president emphasised.
She announced that the application period will run from 7 to 18 July 2025. To qualify, applicants must hold a Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate (Ordinary Level) with at least 18 points, or a Junior Secondary Certificate (Grade 10, old curriculum) with at least 20 points. The scholarship will cover registration and tuition fees, personal protective equipment and a toolbox (as required for the selected training), as well as a monthly stipend to support living expenses.
“The process has been designed to be simple and accessible. Moreover, I am pleased to inform you that a dedicated regional outreach campaign will take place from 07 to 11 July, led by teams from the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme, the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) and the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF). These teams will travel to communities across Hardap and //Kharas regions, offering direct support to all potential applicants, including help with filling out the application forms and answering any questions,” Witbooi added.
