SWAKOPMUND: The Governor of Erongo Region Neville Andre Itope has urged entrepreneurs to recognise the role they can play in shaping a sustainable and inclusive future.
According to Itope in a speech delivered on his behalf, by integrating sustainability and social responsibility into their business models, a collective effort can be made to create impact and drive positive change in communities.
“In doing so, we can build resilient enterprises that not only generate profits, but also contribute to the well-being of society and the planet,” he expressed.
The governor made these remarks at the official opening of the Know to Grow, Next Generation (K2G NextGen) Entrepreneurs Showcase 2023 on Thursday, an initiative by the Namibian Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) and sponsored by Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) Namibia.
The K2G NextGen Entrepreneurs aims to empower youth and women owned Micro, Small and Medium Entreprises (MSMEs), deliberately creating opportunities that enhance market access and capacity building opportunities for these businesses, thus enabling them to contribute towards generating economic activities in the country.
NIPDB’s Executive Director for MSME Development, Innovation and Acceleration, Dino Balloti, explained that the showcase is supposed to provide a platform for entrepreneurs to tell stories of their businesses, engage with like-minded individuals, as well as learn from them for the benefit of their businesses.
“Entrepreneurs are the people that stimulate our economy and most social ills can be solved through entrepreneurship. Therefore, the goal of this showcase is really for us to help them scale up their businesses,” he said.
CCBA Namibia Public Affairs, Communication and Sustainability Director, Enid Johr, noted that the company partnered with the NIPDB on the showcase because it knows that the role MSMEs play within an economy cannot be over-emphasised.
“MSMEs have the potential to create employment and contribute to economic growth of a country and this year’s theme, ‘Sustaining communities, unlocking growth, and promoting inclusivity’, underpins our decision to partner with NIPDB on this project.
The three-day showcase has gathered over 45 Namibian MSMEs to display their products and services, while connecting with business support organisations such as Team Namibia, amongst others.
Participants are exhibiting various products and services ranging from agriculture, manufacturing, information communication technology and renewable energy.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
