Urban Trust of Namibia turns 10 years old

HUNDREDS of small and medium businessmen and women who generally make a living from selling meat, fruits and vegetables on street corners gathered in Windhoek recently to mark the 10th anniversary of the Urban Trust of Namibia (UTN).

The Urban Trust of Namibia was founded on June 1 1994 by the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Cooperative Housing Foundation, with financial assistance from the American Ford Foundation. Its aim is to address the abject poverty among urban residents and to improve their living standards.Speaking at the event UTN Chairperson Kerry McNamara reiterated the importance of empowering Windhoek’s low-income communities in order to promote Namibia’s informal, small and medium enterprise sector throughout the policy-making process.He told the gathering that he was proud to learn that hundreds of people who started selling on the streets some years back, have now turned into well-established businessmen and women.McNamara urged the government and other stakeholders to join forces with the UTN in increasing the capacity of community-based organisations to plan and manage their own development and resources.He personally appealed to the emerging small and medium entrepreneurs to co-operate with central and local government agencies in the interests of promoting a democratic, pluralist civil society.The UTN, according to McNamara, is a non-profit research and service organisation that provides leadership skills and support in building vibrant, well managed and caring cities, towns and villages.It does this in partnership with governments, local authorities, urban stakeholders and citizens in poor urban communities through advocacy, co-operation, empowerment and promotion.The organisation has attracted thousands of members across the country as they see success within its activities, added McNamara.Among the invited guests at the event were Swapo Councillor for Windhoek West Sophia Shaningwa and prominent businesswoman Anne Thandeka Gebhardt.- NampaIts aim is to address the abject poverty among urban residents and to improve their living standards.Speaking at the event UTN Chairperson Kerry McNamara reiterated the importance of empowering Windhoek’s low-income communities in order to promote Namibia’s informal, small and medium enterprise sector throughout the policy-making process.He told the gathering that he was proud to learn that hundreds of people who started selling on the streets some years back, have now turned into well-established businessmen and women.McNamara urged the government and other stakeholders to join forces with the UTN in increasing the capacity of community-based organisations to plan and manage their own development and resources.He personally appealed to the emerging small and medium entrepreneurs to co-operate with central and local government agencies in the interests of promoting a democratic, pluralist civil society.The UTN, according to McNamara, is a non-profit research and service organisation that provides leadership skills and support in building vibrant, well managed and caring cities, towns and villages.It does this in partnership with governments, local authorities, urban stakeholders and citizens in poor urban communities through advocacy, co-operation, empowerment and promotion.The organisation has attracted thousands of members across the country as they see success within its activities, added McNamara.Among the invited guests at the event were Swapo Councillor for Windhoek West Sophia Shaningwa and prominent businesswoman Anne Thandeka Gebhardt.- Nampa