In the quest to bridge the information gap between the youth, women, farmers and entrepreneurs after the devastating effects of Covid-19 on small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Mbunga Mbueza found it necessary to assist in resurrecting the vulnerable sector.
Mbueza is the founder of Hitambo Virtual Academy, a non-profit organisation that was established in the last quarter of 2020 with the objective of fulfilling the need of basic financial literacy for the abovementioned groups, especially the communal and resettled farmers in Namibia.
“Hitambo Virtual Academy is offering training needed to revive the SMEs and uplift the youth, amongst others, amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The institution was established to take care of vulnerable sectors, and guide those sectors with financial literacy, micro-business skills and farmers training, an initiative meant to move farmers from subsistence farming to commercial farming”, Mbueza explained.
The organisation’s principal activities include but are not limited to farming models, micro-businesses, savings principles in Namibia, ICT training for teachers, the development of virtual training materials, VET Training, customer service training, team building training, sports management, education management and leadership.
Against all challenges ranging from Covid-19 to the economic downturn, the organisation has executed a number of training sessions successfully during the final quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021.
Mbueza stated that they entered into a strategic partnership with the German Sparkassenstiftung für Internationale Kooperation (SBFIC), which agreement was successfully implemented.
Thereafter, with the assistance of the partner, they managed to do 53 training sessions (39 micro-business simulations, and 14 on savings principles in Namibia) in five regions, being Kunene, Otjozondjupa, Omaheke, Khomas and Hardap.
The NGO has managed to train 1 348 participants on financial literacy, using business simulations and savings principles in Namibia under the auspices of the SBFIC.
“Our main objective is to empower them with the ability to make smart financial decisions, and to provide the knowledge and skills needed to manage money effectively, budgeting, saving, borrowing and investing,” he noted.
Mbueza urged the government and other role players from the private sector for decisive interventions in the process to resurrect the business sector.
Caleb Majooka, an economics graduate involved in the initiative, said such a viable idea must receive full support to revive the country’s economy because of the severe recession that Namibia is going through.
“Such training will assist the huge number of stranded graduates to initiate their own businesses and make a living. Our government needs to roll out more programmes to guide people out of their panic mode of survival due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” observed Majooka.