Sanlam awards five business initiatives

SANLAM Namibia, under the project Sanlam Bridge, yesterday awarded five local businesses with start-up capital of N$50 000 aimed at developing and promoting small enterprises.

Sanlam chairperson Evans Simataa said the project focuses on motivating and guiding businesses.

“We believe a lot in supporting. We have a social responsibility programme that covers a wide range of areas, starting from education, health and welfare, sport and entrepreneurship,” said Simataa.

He added that, as a big company, Sanlam needs to contribute to the country’s development and one way of doing so is putting aside some funds to assist in different projects and areas of development.

Simataa said the project also aims to reduce poverty in the country and for businesses to provide employment in the country.

Speaking at the same event, Sanlam’s manager, marketing and communications Hilaria Graig urged the candidates to grow and go out there.

“In 2019, we supported a business that makes dish washing liquid called Kitchen Kaptein that you can find in Checkers and a gentleman that makes firelighters from organic materials called omuriro that you can buy all over the country,” she said.

Graig added that there were over 200 applicants from which 13 candidates were shortlisted. Out of the 13 shortlisted candidates, five were judged according to profitability and innovation.

The top five businesses are expected to meet set criteria and achieve set goals and milestones to be in the running for the overall Sanlam Bridge winner, who will walk away with an additional N$50 000 cash prize to invest into their business, she added.

StartUp Namibia GIZ project manager Anna Vambe said she was confident that the top five Sanlam Bridge winners have a bright future in business.

StartUp Namibia is a German-Namibian technical cooperation project funded by the German government that has been assisting Namibian start-ups since the project was launched in 2019.

She advised the recipients of the seed capital to think beyond just producing and selling locally, and encouraged them to corroborate and learn from each other.

“Let them build their business and give you healthy competition but be open to cooperation, don’t close up,” she added.

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