One of Namibia’s most acclaimed artists last week joined the MVA Fund to spread the road safety message to the youth. The Dogg, popularly known as the Kwaito Master addressed over two thousand National Youth Service members at Ondangwa and Rietfontein respectively, encouraging them to always use the roads responsibly. 

The harsh reality is that road crashes are robbing the nation of its most productive and economically active citizens. As such, young people under the age of 35 are the main fatalities of road crashes in Namibia. According to statistics recorded by the MVA Fund Call Centre, 103 people between the ages of 16 and 35 have died in road crashes between January and May of this year alone.

The Fund therefore recognizes the urgent need for interventions aimed at engaging the youth in conversations around road safety and particularly on responsible road behaviour. It is for this reason that the Fund’s Public Education team conducted two interventions last week, to educate the youth about the dangers of irresponsible road behaviour and attitudes. While appealing to the youth to be vigilant on the roads, the Fund also called on them to respect their own lives and those of other road users.

In his address, The Dogg, who was recently appointed as Road Safety Ambassador for the Fund, appealed to the youth not to drink and drive – and urged them to use seatbelts and adhere to traffic regulations at all times. “We are the future of this country, it’s time we change our behaviour on the road and get involved in the fight against road crashes, which are fast killing our peers. As future leaders, we must take the lead on interventions aimed at finding a lasting solution to this problem,” said The Dogg.

On its part, the Fund declares that the high fatalities rates amongst young people are unacceptable, especially for a small nation such as Namibia. Many of the road crashes are preventable, and this starts with the right attitude and adhering to traffic regulations. The Fund will continue empowering young people with the right information to enable them to become active role players in the fight against road carnage.