By:Justicia Shipena
Telecommunication giant MTC has received an additional N$300,000 from Old Mutual Namibia for its Namibia National Internship Programme (NNIP).
Old Mutual’s sponsorship for the internship programme comes after Standard Bank Namibia contributed N$200,000 to the programme in January this year.
During the handover ceremony, MTC Chief Human Capital and Corporate Affairs Officer Tim Ekandjo emphasised the value of collaboration in order to facilitate and realise solutions to national societal concerns.
According to Ekandjo, using a collaborative approach makes it simple to achieve the desired outcomes when dealing with a national issue.
“Hence our appreciation and applause to Old Mutual Namibia for heading and responding favourably to a standing call for corporates in Namibia to join hands in upscaling the programme into a national vehicle that drives and offers students with Work Integrated Learning (WIL)opportunities,” he said.
A young person today’s job market might be challenging, according to Mignon du Preez, Old Mutual Namibia Group Marketing, Public Affairs and Sustainability Executive.
Old Mutual, according to Du Preez, feels that by supporting the professional growth of young people, it is doing more than just ensuring their futures are bright.
“That’s why Old Mutual Namibia is proud to support the Namibia National Internship Programme. We are also contributing towards building a stronger Namibia. Our sponsorship demonstrates our commitment to empowering the youth and fostering a culture of excellence, which aligns with our values as a company,” she said.
The main goal of the 2019-launched NNIP is to help students who need internships to graduate, and it has so far tallied 760 beneficiaries.
The project is also intended to help colleges and universities locate internship opportunities for students, which will speed up youth job creation.
MTC contributes N$2 million per year to the programme.
Through clever partnership, the programme is expected to raise at least N$14 million yearly, which will significantly increase its capacity to accept 160 to 1,600 students each year.
Over 48,000 students in the nation are said to need to complete WIL each year in order to graduate.
Hence MTC urged corporations to donate at least N$200,000 to the cause.
Old Mutual Injects N$300k Into National Internship Programme
