WINDHOEK - The Olafika SME Development Mentorship Programme is a promising program that seeks to take Namibia entrepreneurs from across the country’s 14 regions on a journey from rough to polished gems. This is the analogy of the Namibia Diamond Trading Company (NDTC), as a local company with a global reach, that continuously pursues brilliance in all aspects of our business, made with Olafika’s mandate of polishing the country’s entrepreneurs when it invested N$700 000 in the programme on Thursday.
“SME development is clearly a national development priority area, and it is for this reason that NDTC has partnered with the Olafika SME Development Mentorship Programme. NDTC’s support demonstrates what they believe, that SME development provides tremendous opportunity for us to fully unlock the full potential of Namibian entrepreneurs. NDTC’s support, through its corporate social responsibility commitments is firmly rooted in its focus on promoting sustainable community development, combating poverty and disease, protecting environment and enterprise development, thus developing the capacities of Namibian people or institutions within the communities where we work,” said NDCT CEO Shihaleni Ndjaba at the handover.
As part of its continued commitment to develop SME’s growth potential,
NDTC’s massive investment towards the Olafika SME Development Mentorship Programme will benefit over 70 SMEs throughout all 14 regions of Namibia.
“I believe this intervention will not only sharpen the entrepreneurs who will go through the programme, but in turn it is my hope that this will offset and increase job creation in the SME sector as well, “The Time Is Now (Olafika) Building A Diamond Generation,” said Ndjaba.
“We at NDTC are pleased to be a steadfast partner in contributing financially towards the Olafika SME Development Mentorship Programme. We are very proud to know that our contribution will help boost our SMEs.
Namibia is our home and we want to drive her growth. Not only is this growth for SMEs, but also relates to the bread and butter issues of local entrepreneurs taking part in this programme, where the growth of their business is of vital importance to us,” he added.
First Lady Monica Geingos, who is also advocating for SME growth through her One Economy Foundation Programme, advised SMEs to protect and grow their businesses through a structural operation and never have a desire to make quick money, but rather have a desire to grow their business. Entrepreneurs should come together and share business lessons, she said.
The First Lady indicated that it is easier to make money than to keep it, the only way you will know how to keep money is by knowing the rules to retain it.