Bridging the Gap: Empowering Namibian youth through sports

Participation in sport offers children mental, emotional, social and physical health benefits. It is a well-known fact that children who participate in sport learn how to overcome adversity while they develop strength and endurance. However, the benefits reach beyond the children and also impact their families and their communities.

Debmarine’s Bridging the Gap initiative was launched in 2019, and is a platform for young athletes to test their talents at the highest level. Participating at national level is the best preparation for competing on the international stage, which is essential for any young sportsperson’s talent development.

In what has become a grand display of sporting talent, 780 young learners from all 14 regions of Namibia recently concluded this year's Bridging the Gap regional finals at the United Sports Field and Independence Stadium in Windhoek. The event is a collaboration with the Namibia School Sport Union (NSSU), and is driven by a N$3 million investment from Debmarine Namibia.

As an added incentive, renowned Namibian sporting personalities were invited to share their inspirational journeys and insights at the event. Some of these exceptional talents included athletics icon Christine Mboma and international football star Lazarus Kaimbi, who until recently played for PDRM Football Club in Malaysia and is a former Brave Warriors player. These distinguished athletes captivated the youth with their words of encouragement.

Willy Mertens, CEO of Debmarine Namibia, commended the learners for their active participation in the tournament. He emphasised that such competitions not only provide opportunities for top-performing individuals to be scouted but also open doors to potential scholarship offers. Moreover, they act as a significant boost to learners’ self-esteem.

After two intense days of competition, the Kunene Region emerged as football champions for the first time, defeating the //Karas Region in a thrilling final, while Oshana secured the bronze medal. On the athletics front, the host region of Khomas dominated, claiming the gold medal, with Otjozondjupa and Omusati securing silver and bronze respectively. In netball, Khomas secured the gold after defeating Omaheke in the finals, with Kavango East securing the third-place position.

During the awards ceremony, Irvine Ndjavera, deputy director of School and Community Sport in the Sports Ministry, noted that he had observed netball games being officiated by young umpires under the guidance of national umpires from Netball Namibia (NN) and suggested that young, passionate umpires be trained at school level, providing them with opportunities to pursue their talents from a young age.

As Willy Mertens of Debmarine Namibia said, “The manifold benefits that sport offers individuals and society at large are well documented. We have shown that Namibia can compete on the world stage, and I am sure that with targeted investment in sports infrastructure, we will be competitive on the international stage. Through our sponsorship of this competition, our aim is twofold: to enhance sport at grassroots level among the youth and to conduct school outreach programmes that raise awareness of the career opportunities linked with marine diamond recovery.”

Kirsty Watermeyer