Event reports
For the first time ever, KAS Namibia-Angola partnered with the Namibian Academy of Business English (ABE) in order to implement the MSME Conference 2017 on 7 December 2017. MSME stands for "micro, small and medium enterprises". Therefore, the target group were small and medium-sized enterprises from all over the country who are currently facing many challenges due to the backdrop of the economic recession and the closure of SME Bank. In this context, KAS and its partner ABE aimed to create a platform that would give young entrepreneurs the opportunity to exchange ideas, get to know potential sponsors and customers, and also win a variety of different prizes. The latter was made possible through the participation of numerous sponsors such as the Social Security Committee, First Bank of Namibia (FNB), MTC, Namibia Media Holdings, Confidente and many others who provided cash, marketing packages, mentorship programs, business training and others.
The conference offered a variety of different program items. Firstly, 16 committed young entrepreneurs presented their business concepts and competed for the above-mentioned prizes. Secondly, in addition to a panel discussion on current challenges for MSMEs and an MSME exhibition, the conference also offered a presentation on the subject of digital marketing by successful young entrepreneur Melissa Mukaiwa, from which the participants could take valuable tips and tricks for their sales and marketing strategies. The 175 visitors also used the event as a unique networking platform and enjoyed the varied and informative program. It was particularly pleasing that some of the participants managed to acquire sponsorship and conclude service contracts as a direct outcome of their participation. The winner of the grand prize was Moringa Organic, which produces dietary supplements and personal care products from the Namibian native Moringa plant. The winner took home a cash prize of 10,000 NAD.
Provided by
Foundation Office Namibia and Angola
About this series
The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, its educational institutions, centres and foreign offices, offer several thousand events on various subjects each year. We provide up to date and exclusive reports on selected conferences, events and symposia at www.kas.de. In addition to a summary of the contents, you can also find additional material such as pictures, speeches, videos or audio clips.