Ondangwa youth entrepreneurs aim high

When Robert Haufiku wanted an imported cellphone back in 2018, he entrusted the whole process to a man introduced to him by a friend. The man, according to him, used to import many things for people from abroad. “I handed him the money, and he promised me that the handset would be delivered within a month,” he recollects. A month turned into three months, and he subsequently did not get the smartphone or the money. The importer vanished into thin air. “Once bitten, twice shy,” he says.

However, that experience conceived an idea. After hearing similar tales from other people, Haufiku teamed up with two young entrepreneurs and started a company that imports goods from abroad, especially China. “We discovered that a lot of people have lost huge amounts of money due to fraud in the importing business. That is why we decided to come up with a solution, especially for young people who want to import items such as cellphones, laptops, clothes, watches, hair products and shoes,” he says about the early beginnings.

“Since 2018, we have helped many people from Ondangwa and surrounding areas to import their products from abroad,” says Haufiku, adding that they operate differently from other people. “When a person wants something, they fill in two forms. We take one, which we use, and the client is left with the other one. On the client’s form we attach copies of our identity cards. So clients can always trace us if their product hasn’t arrived after they had paid,” he explains. He reiterates, though, that they have not received a single complaint regarding their operations.

Operating from Ondangwa, he co-owns Ndapanda Holdings (Pty) Ltd with fellow entrepreneurs Etuwina Shatilwe and Anna Nelenge. Although based in Ondangwa, they assist people from across the north. “Just last week, someone received a laptop and two desktop computers which she ordered from South Africa through us. Everything arrived well and the client was happy.”

According to Haufiku, they usually use DHL and The Sea for shipping. “These two companies are affordable when it comes to shipping rates and this also lessens the burden on the client,” he adds, noting that shipment with DHL takes less than three weeks from countries like China, whilst The Sea typically takes less than a month.

The young entrepreneurs intend to expand their business operations to include, among other things, importing vehicles, trucks, buses and heavy construction machinery. “In the next two years, we see ourselves doing that. It is possible. It’s a matter of focusing and working hard,” Haufiku says. His advice to fellow young people is to not always wait for the government to provide. “Do something for yourself. There are many opportunities.”

Shatilwe underscores the importance of good customer care, emphasising that clients should be treated with care, as they have the power and capacity to build a business or destroy it.

“The reason why many businesses don’t last longer is because people don’t treat customers well. If you treat a customer well, that customer will tell five people. But if you treat them badly or provide them with bad service, they will inform fifteen others,” he states.

Regular client Wisdom Mushabati says the trio has made things easier for him. “I own a printing shop and most of the time I need new devices like computers, printers and cameras. What I do is to search for the cheaper ones online, and they do the rest. Their service is awesome,” he states.