Oranjemund has often been seen as a secluded town in the past, yet its evocative beauty has made it one of those must-visit places in Namibia. The announcement of an extensive collaboration between the town’s transformation agency, OMDis, Uconomy Namibia and Nedbank Namibia is set to increase the allure even further.
“OMDis has been established to transform our town and accelerate its economic diversification, such that it evolves into a vibrant centre for enterprises and provide further impetus for businesses operating in Oranjemund,” said Tony Bessinger, General Manager of OMDis. “This collaboration that we are undertaking with Nedbank Namibia and Uconomy Namibia will unquestionably usher in a new era for both our town and the rest of Namibia in supporting SME development.”
Scha van Niekerk said Uconomy Namibia has the perfect model to support the OMDis vision for Oranjemund. “We have extensive experience in building viable enterprises within communities, and look forward to embedding these tried and tested elements of our programme in the town. We have a three-layered approach, which ultimately enables young talent to enter the world of work, support the SME sector and build an ecosystem with the specific aim of driving an integrated socio-economic development platform within the areas of our operations.”
Nedbank Namibia’s Managing Director, Martha Murorua said the multi-faceted collaboration has been months in the making. “We are excited for the opportunity to make such a meaningful impact and improve the livelihood of the entire community. Whilst this collaboration is seen as a pilot project, we are creating a blueprint that can ultimately be scaled throughout Namibia.”
Murorua added that Nedbank Namibia is keenly invested in providing opportunities for Namibia’s youth to chart their own destinies and contribute to the economic prosperity of the country. “It has never been lip service for us, and the development of our ‘Young Professionals’ product offering is testimony of our resolve to continue our deep involvement in youth-driven enterprise development,” said the Nedbank MD. The joint SME and Economic Development Pilot Project in Oranjemund is set to kick off immediately.