Southern SMEs vie for EnterPrize 07

THREE firms from the south are finalists in EnterPrize 2007, a national competition that recognises entrepreneurship.

Two of the firms are based in Luederitz and the third is from the southern mining town of Rosh Pinah. EnterPrize 2007 is an initiative of Old Mutual Namibia, the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Namibian Broadcasting Corporation and local consultancy firm, SMEs Compete.SMEs Compete says although Luederitz might well be Namibia’s oldest town from a local economic development angle things have not gone well for this southern port town.”Despite this there are local entrepreneurs …committed to restore the town to its former glory,” read a statement from the firm.Martha Skeyer is one of them and she owns M & C Caterers which came first before Skeyer decided to grow her business by starting a butchery.Earlier this year her firm secured the contract to cater for teams and officials participating in a national football competition sponsored by The Namibian.Skeyer says the contract helped fund business growth and was a tremendous morale booster.Another Luederitz entrepreneur up for the EnterPrize 2007 award is Thozama Modiza of the ‘T & T’ firm.The third finalist hails from Rosh Pinah, Erastus Amenya, who started his working life as a policeman, but now runs his own business.The three southern firms will compete with others from across Namibia for the top prize in EnterPrize 2007.Regional finalists will be announced on October 22 and the winners a week later at an event in Windhoek.EnterPrize 2007 is an initiative of Old Mutual Namibia, the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Namibian Broadcasting Corporation and local consultancy firm, SMEs Compete.SMEs Compete says although Luederitz might well be Namibia’s oldest town from a local economic development angle things have not gone well for this southern port town.”Despite this there are local entrepreneurs …committed to restore the town to its former glory,” read a statement from the firm.Martha Skeyer is one of them and she owns M & C Caterers which came first before Skeyer decided to grow her business by starting a butchery.Earlier this year her firm secured the contract to cater for teams and officials participating in a national football competition sponsored by The Namibian.Skeyer says the contract helped fund business growth and was a tremendous morale booster. Another Luederitz entrepreneur up for the EnterPrize 2007 award is Thozama Modiza of the ‘T & T’ firm.The third finalist hails from Rosh Pinah, Erastus Amenya, who started his working life as a policeman, but now runs his own business.The three southern firms will compete with others from across Namibia for the top prize in EnterPrize 2007.Regional finalists will be announced on October 22 and the winners a week later at an event in Windhoek.