Covid-19 – Page 23

05 Jun

Trustco secures N$345m loan

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedCovid-19, German, Trustco, Trustco Finance, Trustco Group Holdings Limited

Staff Writer Trustco Finance, a subsidiary of Trustco Group Holdings Limited has secured a US$20 million (approximately N$345 million) loan from Deutsche Investitions Und Entwicklungsgesellschaft, a German development finance institution. The loan approval is, however, subject to a final agreement currently being drafted. The bulk of the facility will be used to provide student financing, offered by Trustco Finance, as well as enhancing the educational facilities offered by the Institute for Open Learning (Pty) Ltd (“IOL”), while funding will also be made available to existing students to restructure and refinance their existing obligations as part of the group’s COVID-19 relief…

05 Jun

Germany continues support for COVID-19 testing in Namibia

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCovid-19, Germany, MoHSS, Namibia

Staff Writer Rapidly identifying infections with the novel corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) is crucial to enable immediate outbreak management and to initiate public health interventions. Germany therefore supports the development of testing capacities for COVID-19 in Namibia. After a first diagnostic laboratory training in Windhoek in the beginning of March the German partners continue to provide critical testing materials like swabs and reagents. This has enabled the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) to conduct more than 2,000 tests in Namibia so far. This support is based on a recently established working relationship as part of a twinning project between the Robert…

02 Jun

Business leadership during a crisis

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedBusiness, Covid-19, leadership

Mbo Mena Luvindao Merriam-Webster defines a crisis as "an unstable or difficult time or state of affairs". It is unplanned or uncontrolled change. During times of crisis, leadership is critical. While the existing economic crisis caused by COVID-19 is unprecedented, small businesses have historically proved themselves to be flexible and resilient. The crisis has led to paradigm shifts in the way we view and conduct our business - don’t bury your head in the sand, but consider new ways of doing things as an entrepreneur. COVID-19 has changed the way we work, and in some industries, it has forced companies…

02 Jun

WHK informal settlements to get electricity

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCovid-19, Electricity Control Board (ECB), NamPower

Staff Writer NamPower and the City of Windhoek have signed a “Project Development and Transfer Agreement on the Electrification of Peri-urban Areas in the Municipality of Windhoek.” The project will be funded by NamPower to the tune of N$15.5 million as part of its Corporate Social Investment (CSI), aims to electrify 1,000 households in peri-urban areas of Windhoek. “According to this agreement, NamPower is committing to contribute to the improvement of the lives of communities living in peri-urban areas, in and around Windhoek, by providing electricity to one thousand (1,000) households, as part of NamPower’s corporate social investment,” NamPower Managing…

02 Jun

Are we prepared for COVID round two?

info_e12wt4csNational NewsCovid-19, Namibia, president Hage Geingob

For the past 2-3 months, the shape of Namibia has been re-moulded, stretched, and remade to fit the government’s efforts to stem the spread of the pandemic. Through it all, the leadership credibility of President Hage Geingob is on the line. But has the foundation to get ahead of this disease actually been laid to battle the spread of the virus? Or are we assuming progress on the basis of hopeful reports and general briefings? During round one of the president’s proclamations have people been cutting corners? Have allocated funds been chopped? Are people scamming on project implementation? If the…

02 Jun

De Beers donates to the Ministry of Education

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCovid-19, De Beers Group

Staff Writer De Beers Group has donated a consignment of hand sanitizers and facemasks to the Office of the Prime Minister, for onward distribution to the Ministry of Basic Education, Arts and Culture. The donation is part of De Beers Group’s N$15 million in-kind donation that it pledged to the Government’s Disaster Relief Fund to fight COVID19. The donation to the Ministry consists of 7,500 facemasks and 5,000 300ml containers of hand sanitizers. The facemasks were made by a community business initiative in Keetmanshoop, while the hand sanitizers were produced by UNAM. “We are delighted to play our part in…

31 May

Using COVID for a marketing gimmick?

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedCovid-19

Jackie Wilson Asheeke I went to Woolworths and Donna Claire in Maerua Mall the other day and was shocked to be harassed at the door by security guards demanding that I ‘sign-in’ before entering the store. What sort of nonsense is that? Why is my name, date of birth, ID number and telephone number needed to enter a store? What has that information to do with blocking the spread of COVID-19? I must receive the numbered tag that ensures the store is not overcrowded, but why is my birthdate a prerequisite for getting that number? And it is selective. I…

31 May

PAY lends helping hand during Covid-19 crises

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCovid-19, FirstRand Namibia Foundation CSI, Physically Active Youth (PAY)

Staff Writer Physically Active Youth (PAY) has reach a total of 353 people in 55 households with food and toiletry packages as part of their outreach program carried out during the Covid-19 lockdown. “The support and resources to power this project are drawn from both corporate and individual support as well as local and international support. We are grateful for the support we received towards our community outreach programme that has ensured the continued engagement and reach of our beneficiaries and their families,” Thuba from PAY said. Revonia Kahivere, FirstRand Namibia Foundation CSI Manager expressed her gratitude that PAY has…

28 May

Bank Windhoek donates 500 Reagent Testing Kits

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedBank Windhoek, Covid-19

Staff writer Bank Windhoek has donated 500 Reagent Testing Kits and Nasopharyngeal Swab Collection Kits to the Namibian Government in support of its fight against COVID-19. The Bank’s Executive Officer of Marketing and Corporate Communication Services, Jacquiline Pack, handed over the donation to the Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shalunga, at the Namibia Institute of Pathology’s (NIP) head office in Windhoek. Through the Analytical Technology and Chemical Supply, the Bank, in collaboration with NIP, was able to procure the material despite logistical challenges posed by the pandemic. “Since COVID-19 reached our borders, we realised that there was…

27 May

COVID-19 effects bleed businesses – survey

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCovid-19, Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA)

Staff Writer A Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) survey has found that 96.5 percent of businesses have been adversely affected by the coronavirus and will continue to be affected in the coming months. “The majority of operating businesses have indicated reduction in local customer demand as the most common current and future effect experienced by 68.8 percent and 65.1 percent of the businesses, respectively. Furthermore, 63.7 percent of businesses reported revenue loss of over 50 percent with the Manufacturing sector (20.1 percent), Hotels and Restaurants (15.2 percent) and Construction sector (11.3 percent) bearing most of the blunt.” The survey found that…