Four of Namibia’s leading corporate organisations have partnered to launch Corporate Social Investment (CSI) Mukopano, the country’s first social investment partnership.
The initiative is aimed at improving collaboration among businesses and development partners involved in community development projects.
The inaugural CSI Mukopano event, organised by MTC Namibia in partnership with the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation, FNB Namibia and the Capricorn Foundation, will be held in Windhoek on 11 August.
According to the organisers, the event is intended to provide a platform for companies, policymakers, development partners, educators and entrepreneurs to exchange ideas and identify opportunities for more coordinated social investment initiatives.
The word ‘Mukopano’, which means ‘gathering’ in Silozi, was chosen to reflect the event’s objective of bringing together stakeholders working in the social development space.
MTC spokesperson Tim Ekandjo says businesses have a responsibility to contribute to Namibia’s development through partnerships and knowledge sharing.
“The Namibia CSI Mukopano is about working together, sharing knowledge and taking action. By bringing together organisations committed to social impact, we can strengthen our collective efforts and create lasting solutions for communities across Namibia,” he says.
Capricorn Foundation executive director Marlize Horn says social investment delivers better outcomes when organisations work together instead of operating independently.
“This Mukopano gives us an opportunity to move from parallel efforts to shared purpose, and from individual projects to collective impact,” Horn says.
FirstRand Namibia sponsorship and social impact manager Revonia Job says the platform could help reduce duplication of social investment initiatives.
“The Mukopano provides an important platform to move beyond fragmented corporate social investment efforts by encouraging collaboration, reducing duplication, and enabling organisations to collectively deliver greater, measurable and lasting impact,” she says.
Allan Gray Orbis Foundation project and compliance manager Immanuel Shilongo says collaboration would be key to addressing complex social and economic challenges.
“The challenges we face are interconnected, which means our solutions must be too.
Through partnership and collaboration, every contribution, big or small, has the potential to create lasting changes in the lives of the people and communities we serve,” Shilongo says.
The organisers say they intend for the CSI Mukopano to become an annual event.
