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“After learning how to price, market and do bookkeeping for my business, I was able to not only get myself on track, but also managed to repay back a loan I took out, 2 months earlier than the deadline. This would never had happened, if it wasn’t for the training paid for by the Foundation along with their sponsors. At the moment, I am currently training others on how to operate a successful business, through proper book keeping and marketing. You can even see my business on social media.”
Inga Boye
Beneficiary, Youth Opportunity
YO! is a youth-friendly meeting place where young people can become #BeFree innovators through shared conceptualisation and design-thinking. It is intended to facilitate shared problem-solving of the challenges faced by local communities, grassroots entrepreneurs and SMEs.
With a focus on sustainable and innovative technology and enterprise, YO! provides young people with the opportunity to future-proof their communities through the next industrial Revolution. As a programme, YO! partners with existing stakeholders to strengthen and increase accessibility to vocational skills training in an effort to enhance skills development and address unemployment.
The One Nation Fund Microfinance and Entrepreneurial Training Programme (ONF) was launched February 2018 and takes an economic development approach by providing second economy grassroots and micro-entrepreneur with access to collateral-free business loans (capital), confidence, and capacity building opportunities—all of which are needed to flourish in the first economy.
ONF is established as a zero-return rolling fund, which expects the beneficiaries to repay their loans to allow us to lend to other micro-entrepreneurs.
Our focus is on high potential micro-entrepreneurs who are unable to access finance through the financial system, thus this fund gives them a second chance. A vital matrix for the fund is social returns, which are at the heart of why the fund was created.
To date, the programme has rolled out five (5) microfinance cycles and issued loans to 46 entrepreneurs, this investment is valued at 2.4 million.
Our Impact
“We received assistance from ONE and before the ONF loan, there was no shade for the children to play, no structure around the school and the classroom doors were broken.
Through ONF, we were able to renovate the school. We received corrugated iron, which was used to build a structure around the school and make a shade for the kids. We received new doors, water tanks, educational materials as well as playground toys.”
Eunike Iiyambo – ONF Beneficiary and Entrepreneur
COVID-19 SURVIVAL TOOLKIT FOR
Youth entrepreneurs
As the immediate and long-term impact of COVID-19 to the Namibian socio-economic fabric become more apparent, much-needed attention is being placed on mitigation. There is urgency on the obvious issues occupying mind space.
However, we are concerned about the soft issues which may be overlooked. Our particular concern is the impact that COVID-19 has had on the mental health and confidence of young entrepreneurs, and how it impacts the natural rhythm of entrepreneurship, risk-taking, innovation and motivation to pursue future plans.
In response to this, the ONE convened a forum which assembled entrepreneurs and experts to dialogue on topical entrepreneurial issues, and to provide fresh and nuanced perspectives. This forum served as a foundational tool in rebuilding the capacity, confidence and capital of young entrepreneurs in a market shaken by unprecedented crises.
The forum provided great insights into the needs of youth entrepreneurs and the specific challenges they face in the context of COVID-19, while serving as a platform for entrepreneurs to network and access information on the opportunities available for youth in trade, business funding and partnership development.
The forum in numbers
172 attendees
Pan-African reach
- participants from 6 African countries (South Africa, Eswatini, Ghana, Mauritania, Botswana and Zimbabwe)
126
entries for the pitch competition
N$50,000.00
awarded in prizes
Impact
TRANSFORMING YOUTH ENTREPRENEURS & BUSINESSES
“I am excited and happy; there are people trying to uplift the youth through such interventions. What I am going to do with the money is clear more land to increase production. I want to buy more pipes. I am also going to put up a tap where people in my community can access water easily since there is no access point and access to clean water.”
Shilongo – who has been running his vegetable supply business since 2019.