18 small businesses donated equipment

A total of twelve small businesses from different towns within the constituencies of Erongo received various types of equipment donated by the Income Generating Activities’ (IGA) programme on Wednesday. The IGA is managed by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare (MGCW).
The IGA programme is aimed at contributing to the socio-economic empowerment of needy communities by encouraging them, especially women, to participate in the IGA programme. It creates self-employment opportunities and in some cases employment for others.
According to the Deputy Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Ms. Lucia Witbooi, the ministry does not want small businesses to remain small, but wants them to grow, expand and create employment opportunities for others.
During the hand-over ceremony in Swakopmund, Witbooi said that the ministry provides start-up material and equipment, complemented by training in basic business management skills.
“Training in business management is intended to capacitate and equip IGA beneficiaries with the skills so that they manage their projects efficiently and make a profit. The ministry strongly believes that if IGA beneficiaries manage their businesses profitably they will earn an income, improve their livelihoods and this will reduce poverty”, she said.
Witbooi called on the beneficiaries to reinvest parts of their profit accumulated from projects. Reinvesting grows your business and ensures it becomes sustainable.
The minister urged beneficiaries to take good care of the donated equipment, to use it wisely and to guard against vandalism and theft. “Under no circumstances shall the beneficiary sell, rent, donate or transfer the equipment to a third party without written approval by the ministry. Officials from the ministry will be visiting the beneficiaries regularly to ensure that the equipment is being taken care of and also, to see how the businesses are doing”, she said.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Nokokure Gaomes thanked the ministry for empowering them and giving them a “jump-start opportunity” which will enable their dreams to become reality. “We will make sure that our dreams are fulfilled and that we employ others as we grow or expand”, he said.
The beneficiaries are: Hafeni Shoe Repair and Loloka Trading (Arandis constituency); Kabasen Poultry and Printing Services business (Daures constituency); Oruwe Construction, Thulens Trading and Uibasen Meat (Omaruru constituency); Atsas Khaibasen welding business (Karibib Constituency); Tukwafa Trading, Groly H. Trading and Johanna Investment cc (Walvis Bay urban constituency); and Isamo Ngajeungure welding business (Walvis Bay rural).
The equipment received by the beneficiaries is worth a total of N$183 000-00