What started as a humble food business from home has grown into a beacon of hope and empowerment in Windhoek’s Wanaheda settlement.
Emilia Ndaamakunye Otto, a chef by profession, founded Wazombia Kitchen in 2021, just after the Covid-19 pandemic. The name ‘Wazombia’ means ‘welcome,’ and that’s exactly what her business represents, a warm, welcoming space where people can enjoy traditional meals and feel at home.
In just a few years, Otto moved from cooking at home to operating from a container with a small kitchen and seating area for her customers. Today, Wazombia Kitchen not only feeds the community but also creates jobs.
“I’m proud of how far we have come. I have employed four young women full-time, and we have more helpers who join us over the weekend. This business helps support five families, including mine,” she said.
She noted that a lot of people in the community support them and depend on them for lunch.
Otto uses the income to pay for school fees and other family needs, proving that small businesses are more than just profit-making ventures, they are lifelines.
She dreams of expanding even more. “We started with only a container, and now we have a proper container kitchen shop and a place for customers to sit. We do small events and buffet services too,” she said.
Otto said that on Monday, thieves broke into their shop and stole money and their property. However, this won’t make them stop working.
Looking ahead, Otto hopes to launch a ‘Wanaheda Street Market’, a space for other small business owners to grow and shine.
“We are asking the municipality to give us land. We are willing to pay. We just need a chance to grow. This is how we fight unemployment. This is how we build Namibia.”
Edwin Otto, the manager and daughter, stated that she has been working with her mother ever since 2021 and she has seen how the business has transformed from where they started.
“My mother feeds all of us through this business. We get pocket money, or an allowance every month, and we do not sleep on empty stomachs. This business sustains us,” she said.