Living with passion for woodworks

Most people would appreciate seeing and/or owning a nicely made palette bed.

Perhaps a wooden wine rack or maybe even a wooden shoe rack would be appreciated as well.

All these and other items are aesthetically pleasing, but have you ever paused to think about the work that goes into the versatile art of woodwork?

Israel Nampolo (29) from Okaukuejo says his passion for woodwork comes a long way, from when he was just a small boy.

Speaking to The Namibian, Nampolo says his love for woodwork has led him to start his own joinery business in Windhoek’s Greenwell Matongo suburb, where he spends his time crafting various items such as luxury tables, wardrobes, chairs made from pine, roof trusses, pallet work and much more.

ORIGIN

Nampolo was born at Okaukuejo, Etosha National Park, but has lived in a few places around the country.

He completed his primary education at Okaukuejo Primary School, relocated to Outjo where he continued with part of his secondary education and finished in Khorixas.

INSPIRATION

As the old English saying goes: “An apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.”

Nampolo’s inspiration comes from his grandfather, through his father.

“My late grandfather was a man who would spend his whole day in the field chopping down trees during our August holidays, the only time we visited the north.

“Now, for a second I thought the wood was only meant for fire, but I later came to find that he was a craftsman,” says Nampolo, adding that his father in Okaukuejo also used to craft different types of bird species which he used to paint, decorate and sell to tourists that visited Etosha.

JOB HUNTING

He says he tried looking for work but was unsuccessful. He kept on thinking of ideas on how to work on his own and create a customer base.

“There was a big tree behind my sister’s house that she wanted to get rid of. I then cut it down with a chain saw and started carving mini tables, chopping boards and trays, which came out looking amazing. That is how my carpentry journey kicked off,” he says.

Nampolo says in 2017, he came across an advert in a local newspaper of Frans Dimbare Youth Centre in Divundu in the Kavango East region. He applied for carpentry and joinery to further his skills.

“Even though there were different trades, my interest was always in woodwork,” he says, adding that he was then admitted to a one-year training period, which he completed, gaining a national youth certificate in carpentry and joinery.

“I then applied at Namwater Vocational Training Centre, well known as ‘NamWater HRDC’ at Okahandja in 2018, for carpentry and joinery and completed my level 3 national vocational certificates in general construction for carpentry and joinery,” he says.

For the next five years, Nampolo says he sees himself contributing to the nation through his innovative business, expanding and employing young people and hopefully working with the government to assist with repairs and maintenance of classroom tables, boards and chairs.

“My message to the youth is to always keep their heads up; we know that sometimes it takes time to achieve something, but that does not make you less of a person.

“Get up, ask yourself what you like to do or what your talents are, make it useful. Most importantly, apply for vocational schools, if you can’t get a job, create one,” he says.