Namibians seek business opportunities
Namibians seek business opportunities

Namibians seek business opportunities

Statistics shows that the unemployment rate of Namibians between the ages of 15 and 34 years has increased from 43.4 % in 2016 to 46.1% in 2018.
Phillepus Uusiku
Maggie Karipi launched her Chinese kitchen accessories business, at a time when unemployment rate is high amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 37-year-old Namibian woman said she decided on Chinese kitchen accessories, because the industry in China has been flourishing and evolving over the past decade, and currently it is continuing to expand at an exponential rate.

"China's kitchen appliances market has expanded considerably over recent years. Advances in urbanization, the real estate market, and smart home appliances are all seen as conducive to the development of the kitchen appliance market," she said.

Karipi said the idea to open the shop came from her close friend from China named Huang Bingqing.

"Huang said I know a lot of people, can easily make new friends and that selling is something that I am very good at. I am also a part-time sales representative.

I have the skills to do this job successfully. Huang would order the items in China and I would sell them here in Namibia. She has great style when it comes to kitchen accessories and Namibians love them," Karipi said.

Karipi currently sells from her home. She said her business provides the perfect platform to help curb the spread of the deadly virus.

Diversification

Karipi sells a variety of kitchen accessories such as knives, chopping boards, kitchen scissors, measuring spoons, pasta strainers, can openers, blenders, tea pots, frying pans and pots.

Faced with job losses and severe salary cuts across different sectors after the economy was heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, some Namibians, like Karipi, seek opportunities in China.

An unemployed youth Miles Shipwata said younger Namibian people are seeking business opportunities from China. Shipwata said in hush times like this it is a good idea for unemployed people to find ways themselves and make an earning.

"The Namibian unemployment rate is high. During the pandemic many people are struggling to find jobs, so it makes me happy to see youngsters finding ways to earn an income," Shipwata said.

Malissa Shilongo, 20, said she sells human hair bought from China.

"I am now selling the hair here in Namibia. The hair in China is for sale at an affordable price and it is a product that Namibians likes to buy," Shilongo said.

Shilongo who started her business three years ago said her business has grown and she today employs two youngsters.

"My business is going well. I had no other choice but to start my own business because I could not find a job here in Namibia. It was very sad because I had to go from one closed door to another," Shilongo said.

Shilongo further urges other Namibians who are jobless to find other ways so they can put food on the table.

Statistics from Namibia Statistics Agency shows that the unemployment rate of Namibians between the ages of 15 and 34 years has increased from 43.4 percent recorded in 2016 to 46.1 percent by the end of 2018, while the unemployment rate of those aged between 19 and 34 stands at 44 percent. – Nampa/Xinhua

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Republikein 2024-04-26

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Premier League: Brighton 0 vs 4 Manchester City | Manchester United 4 vs 2 Sheffield United | Everton 2 vs 0 Liverpool | Crystal Palace 2 vs 0 Newcastle | Wolves 0 vs 1 Bournemouth | Arsenal 5 vs 0 Chelsea SerieA: Udinese 1 vs 2 AS Roma European Championships Qualifying: Coventry City 2 vs 3 Hull City | Leicester City 5 vs 0 Southampton English Championship: Coventry City 2 vs 3 Hull City | Leicester City 5 vs 0 Southampton Katima Mulilo: 16° | 33° Rundu: 16° | 33° Eenhana: 16° | 35° Oshakati: 17° | 34° Ruacana: 17° | 35° Tsumeb: 18° | 32° Otjiwarongo: 14° | 31° Omaruru: 16° | 34° Windhoek: 15° | 29° Gobabis: 18° | 30° Henties Bay: 15° | 22° Wind speed: 26km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 10:31, High tide: 04:30, Low Tide: 22:38, High tide: 16:57 Swakopmund: 15° | 18° Wind speed: 28km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 10:29, High tide: 04:28, Low Tide: 22:36, High tide: 16:55 Walvis Bay: 16° | 26° Wind speed: 34km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 10:29, High tide: 04:27, Low Tide: 22:36, High tide: 16:54 Rehoboth: 17° | 31° Mariental: 20° | 34° Keetmanshoop: 22° | 34° Aranos: 20° | 33° Lüderitz: 13° | 24° Ariamsvlei: 20° | 35° Oranjemund: 17° | 30° Luanda: 26° | 29° Gaborone: 18° | 27° Lubumbashi: 11° | 25° Mbabane: 13° | 17° Maseru: 9° | 23° Antananarivo: 14° | 27° Lilongwe: 14° | 26° Maputo: 18° | 25° Windhoek: 15° | 29° Cape Town: 15° | 27° Durban: 17° | 22° Johannesburg: 15° | 23° Dar es Salaam: 23° | 31° Lusaka: 17° | 26° Harare: 14° | 26° Currency: GBP to NAD 23.38 | EUR to NAD 20.08 | CNY to NAD 2.6 | USD to NAD 18.83 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.33 | EGP to NAD 0.39 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.71 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.68 | RUB to NAD 0.21 | INR to NAD 0.23 | USD to DZD 134.22 | USD to AOA 834.06 | USD to BWP 13.79 | USD to EGP 47.85 | USD to KES 134.48 | USD to NGN 1329.44 | USD to ZAR 18.83 | USD to ZMW 26.6 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 74329.37 Down -0.25% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1642.69 Up +6.30% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 13346.81 Up +0.49% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 25917.59 Down -3.21% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 335.75/OZ UP +0.22% | Copper US$ 4.53/lb UP +0.35% | Zinc US$ 2 860.40/T UP 0.21% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 89.11/BBP UP +0.24% | Platinum US$ 912.11/OZ DOWN -0.0041 Sport results: Premier League: Brighton 0 vs 4 Manchester City | Manchester United 4 vs 2 Sheffield United | Everton 2 vs 0 Liverpool | Crystal Palace 2 vs 0 Newcastle | Wolves 0 vs 1 Bournemouth | Arsenal 5 vs 0 Chelsea SerieA: Udinese 1 vs 2 AS Roma European Championships Qualifying: Coventry City 2 vs 3 Hull City | Leicester City 5 vs 0 Southampton English Championship: Coventry City 2 vs 3 Hull City | Leicester City 5 vs 0 Southampton Weather: Katima Mulilo: 16° | 33° Rundu: 16° | 33° Eenhana: 16° | 35° Oshakati: 17° | 34° Ruacana: 17° | 35° Tsumeb: 18° | 32° Otjiwarongo: 14° | 31° Omaruru: 16° | 34° Windhoek: 15° | 29° Gobabis: 18° | 30° Henties Bay: 15° | 22° Wind speed: 26km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 10:31, High tide: 04:30, Low Tide: 22:38, High tide: 16:57 Swakopmund: 15° | 18° Wind speed: 28km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 10:29, High tide: 04:28, Low Tide: 22:36, High tide: 16:55 Walvis Bay: 16° | 26° Wind speed: 34km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 10:29, High tide: 04:27, Low Tide: 22:36, High tide: 16:54 Rehoboth: 17° | 31° Mariental: 20° | 34° Keetmanshoop: 22° | 34° Aranos: 20° | 33° Lüderitz: 13° | 24° Ariamsvlei: 20° | 35° Oranjemund: 17° | 30° Luanda: 26° | 29° Gaborone: 18° | 27° Lubumbashi: 11° | 25° Mbabane: 13° | 17° Maseru: 9° | 23° Antananarivo: 14° | 27° Lilongwe: 14° | 26° Maputo: 18° | 25° Windhoek: 15° | 29° Cape Town: 15° | 27° Durban: 17° | 22° Johannesburg: 15° | 23° Dar es Salaam: 23° | 31° Lusaka: 17° | 26° Harare: 14° | 26° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23.38 | EUR to NAD 20.08 | CNY to NAD 2.6 | USD to NAD 18.83 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.33 | EGP to NAD 0.39 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.71 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.68 | RUB to NAD 0.21 | INR to NAD 0.23 | USD to DZD 134.22 | USD to AOA 834.06 | USD to BWP 13.79 | USD to EGP 47.85 | USD to KES 134.48 | USD to NGN 1329.44 | USD to ZAR 18.83 | USD to ZMW 26.6 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 74329.37 Down -0.25% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1642.69 Up +6.30% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 13346.81 Up +0.49% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 25917.59 Down -3.21% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 335.75/OZ UP +0.22% | Copper US$ 4.53/lb UP +0.35% | Zinc US$ 2 860.40/T UP 0.21% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 89.11/BBP UP +0.24% | Platinum US$ 912.11/OZ DOWN -0.0041