SME forum in capital

THE Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) has held a forum in Windhoek for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to inform them how to find other avenues of financial assistance apart from commercial banks.

The JCC held the forum because many SMEs are denied access to funding even if their business plans contain all the requirements. Three companies, namely the Small Grant Fund (SGF), Small Business Council (SBC) and the Oshipe Development Fund (ODF) – which is a subsidiary of Namdeb – were present at the forum to tell the SMEs how they can apply for loans.Etienne Lubbe of the SBC said the company helps SMEs to formulate business plans.He said there are currently 30 000 SMEs which are contributing 12,5 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product.National Coordinator of SGF Nicky Gaseb told the SMEs that the programme looks at community-based and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that tackle issues in tourism, cultural heritage, climatic change and protection of international water.He said the SGF only provides grants, and not loans, of up to N$300 000 per grant.One such programme that benefited from the SGF, Gaseb said, is the mushroom project at Henties Bay, which was initiated by 15 women and is currently run by three women.He said the three women are cultivating mushrooms with waste materials such as seaweed and selling it to tourists.”We encourage enterprise development which starts with one person talking to many people.We look at individuals in one group,” he said.- NampaThree companies, namely the Small Grant Fund (SGF), Small Business Council (SBC) and the Oshipe Development Fund (ODF) – which is a subsidiary of Namdeb – were present at the forum to tell the SMEs how they can apply for loans.Etienne Lubbe of the SBC said the company helps SMEs to formulate business plans.He said there are currently 30 000 SMEs which are contributing 12,5 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product.National Coordinator of SGF Nicky Gaseb told the SMEs that the programme looks at community-based and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that tackle issues in tourism, cultural heritage, climatic change and protection of international water.He said the SGF only provides grants, and not loans, of up to N$300 000 per grant.One such programme that benefited from the SGF, Gaseb said, is the mushroom project at Henties Bay, which was initiated by 15 women and is currently run by three women.He said the three women are cultivating mushrooms with waste materials such as seaweed and selling it to tourists.”We encourage enterprise development which starts with one person talking to many people.We look at individuals in one group,” he said.- Nampa