Ondangwa Carpentry Center: A tale of three friends

Three long-time friends from the coastal town of Walvis Bay decided to head up north due to hardship. Today, they run a successful backyard carpentry workshop.

When Elisa Kandume moved from the coastal town of Walvis Bay and found himself without any form of employment in Ondangwa, an idea was birthed: starting a wood and carpentry workshop in the area.

Kandume had moved to Ondangwa in 2020 from Walvis Bay after the Erongo Region was locked down from the rest of the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic which ravaged the country. “During lockdown, life was hard and we had no business. Shortly after restrictions were lifted, I decided to relocate to the north of the country and see which opportunities I might have to pursue again,” he recalls.

Within two months of living in Ondangwa, Kandume realised that there was no place in the vicinity producing wood products for the locals at affordable prices. “When I was in Walvis Bay, we had a backyard workshop where a few friends and I were involved in the manufacturing of wood items such as tables, beds, chairs and shelves for the locals. We used to manufacture these items from pallets. We also used to fix electrical appliances such as hot plates and irons before the Covid-19 pandemic turned everything upside down and I was forced to relocate to the north of the country due to slow business and tough living standards,” Kandume says.

Using his little savings, he set up a workshop on his older brother’s plot in the Okangwena location of Ondangwa. He was also able to convince his friends and former colleagues from Walvis Bay to join him. Owing to the high cost of living in Walvis Bay, coupled with the fact that they were unemployed and had no income, Franklin van Wyk and John Simasiku had no hesitation in deciding to join Kandume up north. “These are the guys I had worked with for many years in Walvis Bay. We were like family, and when I left I had already decided that, should I happen to find a way of surviving, I would invite them over,” Kandume adds.

Today, the trio manufacture wooden beds, tables, chairs, shelves and many other items produced from pallets which they source from retailers and building and construction material suppliers in Ondangwa. They also fix electrical appliances for locals under the expertise of Simasiku, who claims to be an “electronics guru”.

“We have been operating for five years now, and while we cannot say business is good or bad, it is better. Operating in an informal sector comes with its own challenges, but we can say that we are able to put bread on the table,” Van Wyk says whilst busy working on a wooden bed to be delivered to a customer the same day.

For extra income, the trio also have a tuck shop on the premises of their workshop. “Sometimes customers want their item finished while they are waiting. So, they can always get something from the tuck shop to eat or drink while they are waiting,” Kandume explains. His nephew runs the tuck shop business for them.

Kandume mentions that they have a financial structure in place which ensures that each member is compensated fairly from the monthly proceeds. “We are fortunate that we don’t pay rent for accommodation or work. We all sleep here and share everything, including meals. My brother told me we do not have to pay rent, so we only pay for the electricity and water. Our revenue from the sales or repair services is properly recorded, and every month end we deduct the water and electricity contribution, as well as the money for food. The remaining money is shared equally between us,” he explains. Their income, albeit not massive, allows them to support their families back home in Walvis Bay, and keeps body and soul together. “Better a sparrow in hand than a dove on the roof,” Simasiku remarks.

Kandume notes that individual members of the group are allowed to do private work outside working hours for their own benefit. He also encourages talented members of the public to take initiative and start their own projects instead of waiting for the government or private sector to provide them with jobs. “If you believe you can do something, don’t wait until it’s late. Make hay while the sun is still shining. Start right away. Learn a skill, practise it and do something for yourself,” he advises.

With overall unemployment statistics at 36.9% and youth unemployment at a staggering 44.4% according to the latest statistics released in January 2025 by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), his words are a calabash of wisdom to sip from, especially for the high number of unemployed Namibian youth.

Marx Itamalo