Onesmus Embula
WINDHOEK - Two unemployed graduates Linda Ndakolo and John Laudika from Onamafipa-Oikokola village in Omusati Region whose job hunts could not yield the desired results last week visited the Office of the Founding Father Sam Nujoma to showcase a locally produced dishwashing liquid that they have produced.
Linda who holds a qualification in banking credit and finance told New Era their journey started after a long struggle with job hunting, hence she, alongside her fellow graduate and cousin John, ventured into the production of a dishwashing liquid and other detergents rather than stay at home doing nothing.
“I initiated the business of dishwashing liquid when John returned from studying in Russia. Sadly, after six months of searching for a job, John was still unemployed. So, we shared a vision, we realised it was better to try and create employment than to search tirelessly, so John joined forces with me on the marketing side,” said the enterprising Linda.
More so, she said, visiting the Founding Father was a mission intended to showcase their products that she described as Namibian produced and that they are of a high quality.
“The Founding Father was very excited about this product produced locally instead of it being imported,” she said. She added that Nujoma endorsed their product and encouraged more young people to become producers and not only consumers, and further encouraged them to be employers as opposed to just being employees.
“This was a big morale booster and he encouraged us in the face of all the problems that we had, soldier on as one day hard work will bring victory,” she said.
She said being unemployed with no financial security to obtain a bank loan and any other form of financial support is a major challenge facing upcoming entrepreneurs.
She particularly focused on marketing her business idea to attract potential financial investment. “Being a new young kid on the block striving to break into the market has been an uphill task. The stigma of a new product, combined with being a young entrepreneur is by far our biggest challenge,” she said.
However, Linda is determined to create employment in the country. “My hope and dreams are to compete on a local market where I strive to become a major supplier of dishwashing liquid and other cleaning detergents to local schools, hospitals, restaurants and government as well private institutions, and the public at large, that support local producers and hopefully employ my fellow youth one day,” said Linda.
She encouraged fellow youth going through the depression of unemployment to never give up, saying “we are the future, hence every little work you put up shapes your future.” She is currently pursuing her second qualification, an honours degree in business administration at the University of Namibia (Unam). Among others, she has insight in finance, credit and risk management and she possesses competent skills.
On the other hand, her business partner John is an aeronautical engineering specialist graduate and currently unemployed, but looking for a job, internship and apprenticeship. Thus far, their business only operates in Windhoek but they intend to spread to all parts of Namibia in future.
Caption (Unemployment):
Enterprising… Linda Ndakolo and business partner John Laudika handing a Namibian designed flag penholder and Kitchen-Captain –‘just a drop’ dishwashing liquid to the Founding Father Sam Nujoma, in the middle.