Nimt's Mueller believes in nurturing the youth

THERE are many young Namibians who have the potential to get jobs or become entrepreneurs through technical training, but all they need is someone who believes in them and nurtures their skills and talents.

Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology (Nimt) director Eckhart Mueller says he has been a “father” to thousands of Namibian youth since the establishment of Nimt 27 years ago. Although he is a qualified language teacher, his teaching abilities earned him favour with government to spearhead mining- related vocational training. For this year, Nimt has 4 000 students and 270 staff at its campuses at Arandis, Tsumeb and Keetmanshoop. “For me, it's not just about technical talent and ambition. It's also about developing the youth, who are going to take over from us. About 60% of the youngsters who come here do not have fathers. I am there for them. If they hit a dead-end, they can come to me, and we can discuss a way out. There is always a way out,” he noted. He shrugged off critics who claim that he is a tyrant.