Manufacturing and training is her business
“Hard-working, honest and kind,” are the words echoed by Albertina Amupolo, owner of Nepety Trading Enterprises, as she described herself in a recent interview with the Economist.
Albertina specialises in the manufacturing of track suits, travelling and school bags, sportswear, corporate wear as well as embroidery as well as costume design, amongst a few other things.
“We exist and are successful because of the quality of our work, our uniqueness, affordability of our products and on time delivery,” she explained.
Founded in 2004, Albertina said her company currently employs 10 full-time people; 2 male workers and 8 females, as well as 20 part time workers. “Even though we are faced with challenges like working capital, lack of equipment, poor marketing performance and lack of experienced workers, we push through and make it work,” she said. According to Albertina, the reason she mostly employs women in her company is because Nepety Trading is not only a manufacturing company but it also gives fashion and design training to women.
“Different women in business have inspired me and this is the reason I decided to help other women by offering them a job and training them, whether they be young or old,” she added. She says she opens her heart to the women she works with, to build a close bond with them because she also learns a lot from them. “I encourage Namibian women to start their own businesses, you will have sleepless nights thinking about new ideas, strategies, your competitors, you might not make a profit but this should not discourage you, but it is imperative that you work hard and make it happen,” she advised. According to Albertina, she does what she can with what she has and believes that she can make anything happen, whether big or small. “The rewards of owning your own business is that you are the boss, even though things will not happen as you wish but they will happen as you do, you can always get your money back but never your time, therefore follow your dreams,” she said.
Her current clientèle base includes; the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and SME Development, Ministry of Sports Youth and National Service, the Namibia University of Science and Technology, Namibia Business Innovation Institute and SME Compete.
