Staff Reporter
Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) Limited embarked on various cost-cutting measures over the last year and a half. One of these measures was NWR offering its staff members the opportunity to separate from the organisation voluntarily. Out of NWR’s total staff complement of 844 in the FY 2019/2020, 130 employees took up the offer to voluntarily separate from the organisation by 31 December 2020.
One of these employees was Rosalia Mwahangange Kudumo, who started as an intern at the organisation, and was permanently employed as a financial assistant in 2014. At the end of last year, she took up the offer to voluntarily separate from NWR after seeing the possibility of finally realising her entrepreneurial journey in retail.
“I have always been inspired to be an entrepreneur. Capital, experience and other requirements were always the missing pieces to pursuing my dreams. After seven years of work experience, I became more prepared. I did this by saving money, doing research on the business I was to embark on, and towards the end of 2020, somewhere around September, we were informed that the company was offering us the opportunity to separate from it voluntarily. I saw this as an opportunity to help me as I could use my pension fund, savings and voluntary separation package to finance my business. That was the sign for me to separate, and I can surely say that it came at the perfect time”, she stated.
When she reflects, her upbringing greatly contributed to her taking a leap of faith. Originally from the Onengali village and the firstborn in her family, she has always been the first to do everything. Her parents, who are business-oriented, made an example of her to her siblings. After school, she went straight to her parents' shop to work until late, and this is where her entrepreneurial journey began.
Her practical knowledge was further aided when she came to Windhoek in 2008 to study towards a Bachelor of Finance and Accounting Degree at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), the former Polytechnic of Namibia.
“In my view, some of the benefits of taking the voluntary separation package are that it helped me with my immediate financial needs. Equally, it allowed me enough time to do the actual work that I always wanted to do. At the same time, I was able to offer jobs to some unemployed youths,” says Mrs Mwahangange Kudumo, who now proudly has a staff complement of four permanent employees and two casual workers at her business, which she took over from her parents.
When it comes to those who want to undertake the voluntary separation package, Mwahangange Kudumo advises that “it’s a personal decision, everyone has their plans in life and it depends on what your dreams are. There are a lot of business opportunities, and I believe that when you are determined to achieve what you want to achieve, and you are ready, this would be the perfect opportunity to take a chance on your dream as you have that little push to propel you financially to pursue your dreams.”
In conclusion, Matthias Ngwangwama, NWR Managing Director, states that “it is fulfilling to hear about positive stories, such as that of Mrs Mwahangange Kudumo, who voluntarily separated from the company. What might have been seen as something negative has turned out very positive for her. What is even more pleasing to hear is that a former NWR employee has been able to offer employment to formerly unemployed youth by using the voluntary separation package that the company offered. I am thus very proud of her journey, and wish her all the best for the future”.