Namibia participated in the Afro-Arab Youth Congress held in Uganda from 6 to 10 October 2025 under the theme “Amplifying Youth Voices for Peace, Unity, and Prosperity.”
The event marked the launch of a fundraising drive for the Afro-Arab Youth Council (AAYC) International Headquarters in Uganda and convened its General Council.
Namibia was represented by Leonard Akathingo and Esther Shakela. Akathingo joined a panel discussion on mental health among men, where he shared his journey of turning pain into power and purpose.
Akathingo is the president and founder of the Popya Assistance Foundation, an organisation that focusses on gender-based violence, mental health awareness, and education. The foundation also runs a landmark initiative called the Popya Mobile App.
Shakela spoke on shifting from empowerment to impact, focusing on the role of girls in community development. She shared Namibia’s example, highlighting how women in the country have been empowered and how this model can inspire the rest of Africa when supported by the right policies.
More than 800 youth from Africa and the Arab world attended the congress. Leaders from Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda also attended, with Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni, addressing the closing ceremony.
Delegates were invited to attend Uganda’s 63rd Independence Day celebrations as guests of the President.
The AAYC, established on 9 March 2004 in Khartoum, Sudan, is an international youth organisation that unites young people from Africa and the Arab world under the vision of “Youth, Peace, Unity, and Development.”
It brings national and regional youth organisations that work on youth development together.
Acting as a lobbying body with the African Union and the Arab League, it promotes unity, peace, and youth inclusion in development.
Following a resolution in 2008, Uganda became the host country of the AAYC. President Museveni donated 50 acres of land for the organization’s headquarters, and he leads the fundraising efforts with other heads of state from member countries.
