WINDHOEK – For 20-year-old Christopher Ndhlovu who hails from Zimbabwe, doing business to put bread on the table is better than staying idle and starving. He dropped out of school in 2008 and spent his out of school life moving between the village and Harare until last year when he came to Namibia.
“My uncle asked me why I dropped out of school and I lied about the reasons why, so that is when he asked me to come with him to Namibia,” Ndhlovu explains.
And because he had no work, the 20-year-old decided that doing business would make life easier for him. “My brother is the one who taught me how to do this business. He taught me where to sell, how to get there. Now I am better, I am good at what I do,” he said yesterday.
Asked on the real reasons for dropping out of school, Ndhlovu shared: “I quit school because I was very stubborn and I used to concentrate too much on girls,” he said laughingly.
He now walks the streets of Windhoek selling jeans for men and women, skirts, belts and material amongst other goods. He purchases these goods in Zimbabwe and South Africa because they are very cheap there.
Depending on the value of the clothing item, customers are allowed to take up to two months to pay for the goods, he said.
Describing walking and selling as a struggle, Ndhlovu says it is worth it because from the profit he makes, he sends N$5 000 to N$7 000 to his parents in Zimbabwe. “I make good profit. If I get stock of N$5 000 I can make up to N$12 000 in a month. From that I remove the stock money (N$5 000) and the rest is profit. I am working hard but I make money,” he explains patting himself on the chest.
Ndhlovu says he does not plan on going back to school anytime soon, but adds that sitting at home idle does not put bread on the table.
“To just be in the room sleeping is not good in life. You have to suffer knowing that you have something to eat,” Ndhlovu who has six siblings says. Ndhlovu goes out to sell in the different streets of Windhoek everyday from 08h00 to 11h30. “I operate those hours because the sun is hot (as the day progresses),” he says.
By Alvine Kapitako