THE Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has empowered 1 485 women in Namibia with entrepreneurial skills through the EntreprenHER programme.
Launched in 2017, the programme is implemented by the ministry and funded by United Nations (UN) Women. It aims to improve participants’ financial discipline and market readiness, supporting women micro-entrepreneurs through digital and financial literacy training, expanding market access, and preparing them to respond to economic shocks and challenges.
Speaking during a visit by UN Women regional director for East and southern Africa Anna Mutavati on Thursday, minister Emma Kantema said the programme enhances entrepreneurial capacity among women micro-entrepreneurs.
“The programmes reached the milestone. We are currently in phase 3 and the ministry is committed to advancing women economic empowerment beyond that. We are happy with the number we have capacitated so far,” she said.
The programme has supported more than 2 400 micro-enterprises owned by women in Namibia, South Africa and Botswana.
“We express our sincere gratitude to all our partners who have assisted us. For over the past nine years De Beers Group has been on board to assist us in implementing this programme,” Kantema said.
The ministry is currently exploring partnerships to support phase four.
The ministry and the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa) on Thursday signed an agreement to support the programme.
Bipa chief executive Ainna Kaundu said there are over 27 000 female owned businesses operating across different sectors, including agriculture, textile, cosmetics, and the creative industry.
“These statistics point to the reality that the future of Namibia’s economic growth is closely tied to the empowerment of women entrepreneurs,” she said.
One of the participants in the programme, Benitha Nakaambo, says the initiative helps protect businesses from being copied by others.
Nakaambo runs a source-based business, which she says she has been protected through the initiative. She adds that without it, someone could have launched a business with her idea and name.
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