Candidate must be eligible to work in this location, for more information use the help page.
A Small Business Consultant with NACS in Katima Mulilo, Namibia
What's the context and purpose of the role?
Unemployment and underemployment are rife in Namibia. As a result, more than half of its population live below the poverty line. Rural areas in particular are characterised by high levels of underemployment. A lack of technical skills and small business development knowledge means that growth in the micro, small and medium enterprise sector is very slow. VS is helping to tackle this problem by supporting the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to ensure that people have the skills and knowledge they need to earn a living. The Namibia Association of Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) Support Organisations (NACS) is an association of 11 NGOs and the University of Namibia. Its purpose is to provide quality services to rural community enterprises, helping them to ensure their growth. As a volunteer with NACS you'll train small organisations in the basic principles of business and management, enabling them to sustain their projects and earn a living.
What does the role involve?
What skills, experience and personal qualities are needed for the role?
You'll have at least 5 years' experience in managing a small or medium business, encompassing all aspects from marketing and staff management to finance and business planning. You'll also have excellent interpersonal and communications skills and the ability to work innovatively with limited resources. Flexibility, patience and a good sense of humour are important traits in all volunteers as things often either take much longer than what you're used to back home... or everything happens at a moment's notice!
And the rest...
Namibia is one of the largest and least known countries in Southern Africa, with vast landscapes, the spectacular red dunes of the Namib Desert and game-rich national parks. The Namibian climate varies from arid to sub-tropical with the hottest months being January and February. During the winter months (May to September) night temperatures can go below freezing but during the day temperatures reach a pleasant 20°C. You'll be based in Katima Mulilo town in the stunning Caprivi region. Katima Mulilo means 'quenches the fire', in reference to its location dirctectly on the banks of the Zambezi River. The Caprivi region is the wettest in Namibia and consequently it's home to a large variety of animals and birds. Most numerous are the elephants, though they're not easily spotted through the dense vegetation. There are no fences, so the animals can roam freely across the borders of the neighbouring countries of Botswana and Zambia.
Candidate must be eligible to work in this location, for more information use the help page.
