Nedbank Namibia Injects N$59,850 Into Mindsinaction’s Youth Skills Development

Nedbank Namibia has contributed N$59,850 towards strengthening Mindsinaction STEAM Centre’s educational programmes, which have reached more than 5,000 young Namibians with practical science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) skills, on Monday.

In a media release on Monday, the bank outlined that the contribution would fund the acquisition of a multifunctional colour copier to help the Centre produce educational materials, assessments, training resources and certificates more efficiently.

The equipment is expected to reduce operational costs and enable the organisation to direct more resources towards learner development as demand for practical technology education grows.

The Mindsinaction STEAM Centre, was founded in 2018 by Ndaudika Mulundileni and Andreas Leonard, and later expanded from a mobile programme serving schools in Windhoek and Walvis Bay into educational boot camps and collaborative initiatives reaching learners across Namibia, the Centre provides hands-on training in robotics, coding, electronics, 3D printing and innovation.

According to the release, the organisation has also provided internship opportunities to more than 100 university students, giving them practical experience and exposure to careers in technology, engineering and innovation.

Nedbank's Head of Marketing and Communications, Janet Kapenda stressed that practical learning was essential in preparing young people for an increasingly digital economy, where academic knowledge alone may not be enough to meet changing workplace demands.

“Young people need more than academic knowledge to thrive in today's world. They need opportunities to apply their learning, solve real-world problems and develop critical thinking and innovation skills,” Kapenda said.

She highlighted the Centre’s role in creating these opportunities and explained that the bank was proud to support an organisation helping develop Namibia’s future innovators, entrepreneurs and problem-solvers.

Kapenda further emphasised that investment in practical skills development was important for building a workforce capable of competing in an increasingly digital and innovation-driven economy.

She added that partnerships between organisations could expand opportunities for young people and equip them with skills relevant to the future world of work.

The contribution comes as Mindsinaction continues to work with schools, tertiary institutions and industry partners to widen access to technical education.

The Centre’s activities also support Sustainable Development Goal 4, which focuses on quality education, and Namibia’s Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6).

Nedbank said the partnership reflects its commitment to supporting organisations that help young people unlock their potential and contribute to a more inclusive, innovative and prosperous Namibia.