2016-11-23Staff Report 2 WINDHOEK One of the youngest Namibian female entrepreneurs, Gloria Shaningwa, says the high rate of poverty among Namibian youth has motivated her to initiate the Arise and Shine Foundation. The ambitious 28-year-old woman, who currently works for the Namibia Airport Company (NAC) as a health and safety assistant, says the Foundation is the brainchild of Ashine Trading, a company specialising in event management, cleaning services, supply and delivery, as well as fashion wear, to create jobs for young people. “Arise and Shine Foundation is an initiative established with the aim of empowering Namibians, especially youth, to help themselves by offering mentorship support, empowering, motivation, training, charity, recognition and collaborative learning platforms,” says Shaningwa. She adds that the Foundation was launched in July in cognizance of the important contribution of both women and men to the mainstream economy and to the national treasury. The Foundation hosted its first Business Leadership Conference in Windhoek last October. “The conference came at a time when the Namibian economy demands that the youth put their heads together and collaborate to create opportunities that would lead to a prosperous economy,” she says. During the Youth Week earlier this year, Shaningwa spoke to the young participants, motivating them to become entrepreneurs. “I told them that by associating with successful people and networking will make them very successful in future, because they have to tap from their wisdom unlike with failures,” she says. Shaningwa is of the view that Namibia’s youth has the potential, but their minds need awakening. “When youth are spending days, hours and minutes on social media, I want them to know that they are busy supporting someone’s business. Namibian youth; wake up and do everything in your power to correct that error. We need empowerment programmes all over Namibia.” 2016-11-23Staff Report 2
