Kunene youth rising with the power of Green Hydrogen
Uazarua Korukuve and Ngavipue Tjivahe come from different corners of the Kunene Region, yet they share one clear purpose: to turn knowledge into meaningful action for their communities. Uazarua grew up in Onguta, completed his schooling in Opuwo and Ruacana, and later obtained a National Diploma in Agriculture at UNAM Ogongo. Ngavipue, born in Opuwo and raised in Okarivizu Village, nurtured a strong interest in science projects throughout his school years before pursuing a B-Tech in Power Engineering at NUST. Their academic journeys have equipped them with complementary strengths Uazarua’s grounding in soil, crops and rural livelihoods, and Ngavipue’s technical understanding of power systems and practical problem-solving.Kunene continues to face significant socio-economic pressure. More than 64 percent of residents experience multidimensional poverty, while youth unemployment stands at around 43.2 percent. These figures highlight the urgent need for meaningful opportunities for young people. The region also endures recurring droughts, declining crop yields and livestock losses, all exacerbated by shifting weather patterns linked to climate change. These shocks reduce food production and deepen dependence on humanitarian aid unless communities gain new tools to build resilience.
Both ambassadors view the Green Hydrogen Youth Ambassadors Programme as a practical way to align local needs with national development priorities. The programme, conceptualised as a youth mobilisation initiative to ensure young Namibians play an active role in shaping the country’s green hydrogen future, was developed through a partnership involving Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, GIZ and the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme under the German Energy Partnership.
Their training provided context, clarity and purpose. “Seeing how green hydrogen links to safer fertilisers and cleaner energy made the idea real for me. This is about strengthening food production and protecting our soils,” Uazarua explains. Ngavipue adds, “The technical training showed me how renewable power and hydrogen systems can actually work in rural settings. I want to make this technology understandable and useful for villages like mine.”
They speak openly about the trade-offs and opportunities that come with green hydrogen development. They learned that producing green hydrogen requires substantial investment and that storage and transport remain technical challenges. Yet they also recognise the potential benefits: new jobs, skills development, cleaner energy solutions for remote communities and opportunities to diversify livelihoods beyond subsistence farming. Their aim is not to promote a particular company or project, but to ensure that communities understand both the risks and the benefits, empowering them to influence outcomes that serve local interests.
Uazarua plans to conduct outreach that provides farmers with practical information from how renewable energy could support local fertiliser production to water pumping and post-harvest processing that can enhance food security. Ngavipue intends to run hands-on sessions that demystify electrical systems and introduce young people to the subjects and skills required for careers in the green hydrogen sector. “Young people must learn the facts and lead the conversation,” he says. “If we prepare now, we can take the jobs and build the projects ourselves.”
Together, their message is simple but powerful: knowledge creates leverage. Uazarua and Ngavipue are not symbols of rescue; they are emerging local leaders helping translate a global energy transition into practical, hopeful steps towards improved food security, employment and long-term resilience in the Kunene Region.