The 7^th Jubilee Gala Dinner of the MTC Dome Namibia was an outstanding success in many ways.  

On 17 September, the MTC Dome celebrated their 7^th year of existence. The nature of this glamorous event may have been to commemorate all the past achievements of the MTC Dome. The aim, however, was to launch the new “Friends of the MTC Dome” initiative and raise funds for all the programs within.

The Swakop Room, on the 4^th Floor of the MTC Dome, was furnished with an aesthetic ambience. A red-carpet event set for champions. The tables had a chic setting, each placed with a bottle of the MTC Dome’s very own red and white wines, especially labelled for the 7^th Jubilee Gala Dinner. An exquisite, three-course meal, was served by the Tatse Restaurant, and each guest received their very own MTC Dome swag bag comprising of; a bottle of the MTC Dome’s in-house wine, a wine bottle carrier, and a branded cap.   

Upon arrival, the smart and elegantly dressed guests were entertained by the African Vocals, whilst sipping on some sparkling wine served by the Pitstop crew. As guests were seated the entertainment took a jazzier turn as saxophone player, Neal Paulse, took to the stage and blew us away with some powerful, yet mellow tunes. 

The master of ceremonies, Mr Patrick Sam, captured the audience with his uplifting spirit and friendly demeanour, yet cunning words. Setting the tone for the evening and what is to come. He kept the audience comfortably entertained and performed perfectly at leading the program. 

As the evening progressed, we heard from the one and only, Mr Rocco Meiring, the 2021 African Swim Coach of the Year, and the very inspiring Mr Derick De Necker, Secretary General – South Africa. In addition, the guests had the privilege of listening to the Governor of the Erongo region, Hon Neville Andre, the Prime Minister, Hon Dr Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and finally the Director General of Namibian Broadcasting Channel, Mr Stanley Similio. These respected members of our society took the time to thank and endorse the MTC Dome Namibia on its achievements and successes over the last few years, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, Mr Similio announced that NBC is now an official media partner of the MTC Dome. 

The entire evening was broadcasted live by NBC and can be viewed on NBC Digital News. 

During the course of events, there was a pledge held, whereby a whopping amount exceeding N$ 2 million was received from various organisations and private individuals. This exponential amount will go towards the various programs driven by the “Friends of the MTC Dome” initiative; Podium Program, Future Stars, Game Changers, and Be Your own Boss. 

At the MTC Dome Namibia, we believe in partnerships. Therefore, those that pledged were automatically enrolled into the “Friends of the MTC Dome” initiative, whereby they receive numerous benefits at the MTC Dome. Not to mention, those organisations and individuals have the privilege of becoming a part of the greater story of the MTC Dome. 

The “Friends of the MTC Dome” initiative invites people and organisations to share our dream of unlocking the true potential of our young Namibians. 

• The MTC Dome is Namibia is the only high-performance sports centre and a one-stop facility for the optimal development and performance of future stars. 
• The MTC Dome has a unique entrepreneurs development division, progressive and entrepreneurial in thinking, innovative and authentic in job creation. 

The “Friends of the MTC Dome” initiative is open for all to join. The aim of the “Friends of the MTC Dome” initiative is to assist young athletes and entrepreneurs to achieve their goals and make a success of their journeys. The Game Changers is how the MTC Dome provides for the street kids in need by hosting a weekly sports event, gardening activities, and feeding programs. The Future stars program is how the MTC Dome identifies young talented individuals and guides them to become future elite athletes. 

As Fanus Engelbrecht said “Our talent pool in Namibia is around 23 times smaller than our neighbours, South Africa. We do not have the luxury to mismanage our talent. Preparing our future stars and leaders needs the combined effort of us all. We must give them a fair chance to become our heroes.” 

From Commonwealth medals to owning their businesses, these joint ventures have made an enormous impact on several lives already. We have Bradley Murere, who has represented Namibia at the Common Wealth Games as a para-athlete. Cathy Kambanda, one of the Be Your Own Boss members, who has started a program called National Mental Health Care Namibia, that helps individuals that face depression and are victims of rape. Then we also have Salvation Katjinamunene, the founder of Awesome Bins, that has already employed seven Individuals.

The documentary-inspired videos that were played during the 7th Jubilee Gala Dinner were directed and edited by Nautilus Studios at the MTC Dome. These videos allowed for the story, past and future, of the MTC Dome to be told by coaches, athletes, highly respected partners, and influential members of this high-performance family. Within these videos, guests witnessed interviews with sports stars, entrepreneurs, and coaches alike, so that the true story of their own journeys to success could be heard. The MTC Dome CEO Fanus Engelbrecht clearly explained the rationale and the success of the role that the MTC Dome has played and aims to continue to play in the future.  These varied projects are set to expand dramatically and would only be possible with pledges and partnerships.  

Unlocking potential is more than just a motto at the MTC Dome and this was made evident at the Gala Dinner. With the dedication and enthusiasm of entrepreneurs, athletes and coaches and the ongoing generosity of patrons, our Namibian stars are going to continue to shine brightly in their personal goals. They will continue to feature in the story of champions. How can the MTC Dome unlock your potential?