OLAFIKA SME Mentorship is looking to recruit 150 Namibian entrepreneurs for their July 2020 intake.
Olafika is a mentorship programme aimed at equipping entrepreneurs with the necessary knowledge and skills needed to succeed at business.
According to a press release, the programme is calling for new applications after the graduation of 77 SMEs taken in during 2019.
The free mentoring programme wants to guide Namibian SMEs through current business challenges, with the 2020 phase to focus on urgent issues businesses are facing – particularly in the face of the Covid-19 epidemic.
The press release says the 2020 mentorship programme will be conducted virtually in addition to BootCamp lectures by seasoned mentors to tackle issues businesses are currently facing.
The programme is reportedly fully funded and aims to enable budding entrepreneurs to learn from and be guided by accomplished entrepreneurs, senior executives and professionals.
Last year graduates received Level 4 entrepreneurship training, and the programme is doubling the number of beneficiaries this year.
The programme is supported by the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade, and funded by the Namibia Diamond Trading Company (NDTC), the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) as well as the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development.
The mentorship will begin in July and entrepreneurs will receive mentoring on strategy, operations, commercial and financial analysis, change management, people management, product review and business development.
NDTC chief executive officer Brent Eiseb says the 2020 programme was designed, in consultation with Namibian businesses, to meet the needs of SMEs at this challenging time.
“With so much business uncertainty at the moment, it is positive that NDTC has partnered to leverage our connections with over 100 mentors,” he says.
KAS resident representative Thomas Keller says “actions during the crisis will shape businesses in the long run” and every crisis creates opportunities for businesses to become more innovative.
Keller says with enterprises facing external pressures, some business leaders are stepping out of their routines and comfort zones to become creative problem-solvers and rediscover their entrepreneurial spirit.
He says it is clear the post-pandemic future will be different with a long-lasting impact on society expected.
However, “current signs of entrepreneurial initiative and goodwill give us some cause for optimism in Namibia,” he says.
Director of the Institute of Entrepreneurial Development, Twapewa Kadhikwa, which is the implementing partner of Olafika, says for 2020 the selection criteria remain the same, but the application process is more flexible.
“Applicants can submit their company registration and profile via WhatsApp, and if they meet the criteria, they stand a chance to be selected,” he says.
“As demand is expected to be high, places will be made available to eligible businesses on a first-come first-served basis,” he says.
The application process opened on 8 June and SMEs are encouraged to sign up through www.olafika.com.na or on social media.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
