For years, local governance in Namibia has operated largely out of sight and out of mind for many young citizens. While national elections generate visible enthusiasm—with nearly 74% of registered voters casting ballots in the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections—voter turnout in regional and local authority elections has historically fallen to around 38–43%. The institutions responsible for everyday public services, such as roads, water, sanitation, and local planning, remain poorly understood by the very communities they serve.
Joseph Ndondi, Executive Director of Social Enabled Education (SEE), recognised this democratic gap not as a failure of young people, but as a failure to equip them. His response was the Regional and Local Authority Volunteer Experience Programme (RLA-VEP).
A vision rooted in history
Joseph’s inspiration draws on something deeply Namibian. Namibia’s Founding President, Sam Nujoma, once said that “a people united, striving to achieve a common good for all members of society, will always emerge victorious.” For Joseph, that spirit of collective action, once a defining feature of Namibian community life, has gradually weakened under the pressures of changing economic realities and the absence of institutional support for volunteering.
“The RLA-VEP aims to revitalise Namibia’s culture of volunteerism while modernising it through technology and youth leadership, particularly in a country with vast geographic distances and low population density.”
Namibia’s National Policy on Volunteerism (2014) provided a policy foundation for his vision, even if its implementation has remained limited. Joseph saw the gap between aspiration and reality as precisely the space where civic organisations like SEE could act.
The WYDE connection
The WYDE Accountability Hubs programme provided Joseph with both the strategic clarity and the community of practice that helped shape RLA-VEP.
The governance and leadership development components of WYDE proved particularly valuable. Engaging with fellows from different countries opened a space for peer learning that sharpened the programme’s direction, while ongoing mentorship from WYDE partner organisations provided practical and moral support during a period when democratic participation globally faces significant pressures.
“The programme provided not only knowledge but also a community of practice, enabling fellows to exchange ideas, reflect on challenges, and strengthen accountability within civic initiatives.”
The programme in practice
RLA-VEP is a youth-driven civic engagement initiative designed to strengthen democratic participation at the local governance level. It introduces young people to the structures of municipalities, town councils, and regional authorities, helping them understand how decisions are made, who is accountable for public services, and how ordinary citizens can meaningfully engage with local leadership.
Over 100 young volunteers engaged with the programme, from which a core leadership cohort of 20 participants was selected. Through a combination of governance training, stakeholder engagement, and hands-on electoral observation, these young people were given not just knowledge but practical experience of how democracy functions at the level closest to their daily lives.
Collaborations with institutions including the Swakopmund Municipality, the City of Windhoek, and the Eenhana Town Council gave volunteers direct exposure to municipal governance in action. A partnership with Windhoek Global Shapers, long regarded as a benchmark for youth leadership in Namibia, further strengthened the programme’s civic education dimension.
When civic education takes hold
The most powerful evidence of RLA-VEP’s impact is not statistical; it is personal. The greatest achievement lies in the character and commitment demonstrated by the volunteers themselves.
One volunteer, Johannes, entered the programme with curiosity about governance systems and electoral processes. Today, he actively monitors political developments, engages in civic discussions, and regularly messages Joseph to flag something he has seen in the news.
“Chief, did you see this?” has become something of a signature phrase between them, and for Joseph, those four words carry enormous significance. They represent the moment when a young person shifts from passive observer to active participant in democratic life.
“Many volunteers who participated now follow governance issues closely, engage in civic discussions, and better understand democratic processes. Some have even begun considering deeper involvement in civic organisations or political structures.”
Looking ahead
Joseph is clear that the work is far from finished. Collaboration between civic volunteers and local government still requires stronger institutional support, and financial and logistical barriers continue to constrain what is possible.
But the ambition is considerable. The long-term vision is to create sustained civic participation beyond election cycles.
The proposed Volunteer Hub aims to use technology to connect young people with civic opportunities, community initiatives, and governance engagement platforms.
A key aspiration is to strengthen collaboration with national institutions such as the National Youth Council, which could help mobilise resources and institutional support for volunteerism in Namibia.
Over the next five years, the goal is to build a network of 15,000 volunteers across the Southern African Development Community (SADC), underpinned by the African philosophy of Ubuntu: I am because we are.
“The mission remains simple, to serve communities while strengthening democratic participation and restoring pride in Namibia’s tradition of collective action.”
