{"organism":"Page","children":[{"organism":"Container.Raw","children":[{"organism":"Metadata","model":{"title":"Community Skills at Work: Supporting Micro and Small Enterprises","text":"\u003Cp\u003EAcross Namibia, micro and small business owners open their doors each morning not only to earn a living, but to keep their communities functioning. Their enterprises, whether a small workshop, a daycare centre, a hair salon, a garden service, a tailoring room, a modest catering outfit, or an emerging agricultural project, often support \u003Ca\u003Eentire\u003C/a\u003E households. \u003C/p\u003E\r\n","links":[{"name":"Community Skills at Work: Supporting Micro and Small Enterprises","value":"https://www.shell.com.na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises.html"}],"date":"2026-02-02T12:30:00.000Z"},"id":"/content/shell/countries/namibia/en_na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises/jcr_content/root/metadata"},{"organism":"ContentOwner","model":{},"id":"/content/shell/countries/namibia/en_na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises/jcr_content/root/contentowner"},{"organism":"Container.Header","children":[{"organism":"Container.Raw","ref":"https://www.shell.com.na/_jcr_content/root/header/inherited.model.json","id":"/content/shell/countries/namibia/en_na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises/jcr_content/root/header/inherited","model":{}},{"organism":"Breadcrumb","model":{"links":[{"name":"Home","value":"https://www.shell.com.na/"},{"name":"Latest stories","value":"https://www.shell.com.na/latest-stories.html"},{"name":"Community Skills at Work: Supporting Micro and Small Enterprises","value":"https://www.shell.com.na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises.html"}]},"id":"/content/shell/countries/namibia/en_na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises/jcr_content/root/header/breadcrumb"}],"id":"/content/shell/countries/namibia/en_na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises/jcr_content/root/header","model":{}},{"organism":"Container.Main","children":[{"organism":"Container.Section","children":[{"organism":"PageHeader.Date","color":"inherited","model":{"title":"Community Skills at Work: Supporting Micro and Small Enterprises","text":"\u003Cp\u003EAcross Namibia, micro and small business owners open their doors each morning not only to earn a living, but to keep their communities functioning. Their enterprises, whether a small workshop, a daycare centre, a hair salon, a garden service, a tailoring room, a modest catering outfit, or an emerging agricultural project, often support \u003Ca\u003Eentire\u003C/a\u003E households. \u003C/p\u003E\r\n","date":"2026-02-02T12:30:00.000Z"},"id":"/content/shell/countries/namibia/en_na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises/jcr_content/root/main/section/page_header"},{"organism":"PromoSimple.Text","color":"inherited","id":"/content/shell/countries/namibia/en_na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises/jcr_content/root/main/section/text","model":{"text":"\u003Cp\u003EMany operate with limited resources but remain vital to local livelihoods, yet women in particular still face systematic barriers, from accessing finance and markets to securing formal contracts and finding opportunities to grow or scale their enterprises.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\u003Cb\u003E EmpowerNamBiz! programme\u003C/b\u003E stepped into this reality in late 2023, supporting entrepreneurs through two years of practical training, one-to-one mentoring and targeted assistance, concluding in December 2025. With SMEs Compete as the implementing partner, business owners received structured guidance many had never accessed before.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOver this period, \u003Cb\u003E201 entrepreneurs\u003C/b\u003E took part in business skills training, \u003Cb\u003E73% of them women\u003C/b\u003E, and \u003Cb\u003E93 received tailored mentoring\u003C/b\u003E to strengthen their day-to-day operations. Of this group, \u003Cb\u003E84 entrepreneurs\u003C/b\u003E received grants that helped them purchase tools, equipment or materials, small investments that delivered meaningful improvements, from increased productivity to more reliable service delivery.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAmong these enterprises is Hanan Green Acres, an agricultural initiative on the outskirts of Walvis Bay. What began as an effort to cultivate olives in desert soil has grown into a community-focused project that trains and uplifts women and young people while gradually expanding its production capacity.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EReflecting on her experience, owner Magdalene Vermaak shared how the programme supported her journey, saying: “The training helped me to scale up my production while ensuring quality and quantity supply. It also allowed me to empower local young people to contribute meaningfully to economic empowerment in the Erongo region. The support we received through the grant programme for our water supply brought new life to the olive trees and made it possible for us to look forward to a full harvest of pure, quality olive oil.”\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo understand the programme’s impact, \u003Cb\u003E65 of the grant recipients were evaluated\u003C/b\u003E six months after grant disbursements, providing the data behind the programme’s key outcomes.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EA total of 40% resulted in new jobs, \u003C/b\u003Ecreating\u003Cb\u003E 35 full‑time \u003C/b\u003Eand\u003Cb\u003E 14 part‑time \u003C/b\u003Eopportunities\u003Cb\u003E.\u003C/b\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003E85% reported increased monthly sales\u003C/b\u003E, while \u003Cb\u003E97% expected further increases\u003C/b\u003E over the next year.\u003C/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003E85% formed new business partnerships\u003C/b\u003E or supplier relationships.\u003C/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003E55% diversified\u003C/b\u003E, introducing new products or revenue streams.\u003C/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003E82% achieved formal registration or compliance\u003C/b\u003E, many for the first time.\u003C/li\u003E\u003C/ul\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA full review of the final outcomes will take place six months after the programme’s completion to fully assess its impact.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Ch2\u003EWatch to find out more\u003C/h2\u003E\r\n"}},{"organism":"CallToAction.Stacked","color":"inherited","colspan":6,"colstart":4,"id":"/content/shell/countries/namibia/en_na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises/jcr_content/root/main/section/call_to_action","model":{"links":[{"name":"EmpowerNamBiz!: Building Businesses, Strengthening Communities","value":"https://youtu.be/5nuSIBSZqXY"}]}}],"id":"/content/shell/countries/namibia/en_na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises/jcr_content/root/main/section","model":{}}],"id":"/content/shell/countries/namibia/en_na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises/jcr_content/root/main","model":{}},{"organism":"Container.Footer","children":[{"organism":"Breadcrumb.Large","model":{"links":[{"name":"Home","value":"https://www.shell.com.na/"},{"name":"Latest stories","value":"https://www.shell.com.na/latest-stories.html"},{"name":"Community Skills at Work: Supporting Micro and Small Enterprises","value":"https://www.shell.com.na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises.html"}]},"id":"/content/shell/countries/namibia/en_na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises/jcr_content/root/footer/breadcrumb"},{"organism":"Container.Raw","ref":"https://www.shell.com.na/_jcr_content/root/footer/inherited.model.json","id":"/content/shell/countries/namibia/en_na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises/jcr_content/root/footer/inherited","model":{}}],"id":"/content/shell/countries/namibia/en_na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises/jcr_content/root/footer","model":{}}],"id":"/conf/shell/settings/wcm/templates/base/structure/jcr_content/root","model":{}}],"model":{"title":"Community Skills at Work: Supporting Micro and Small Enterprises","text":"Across Namibia, micro and small business owners open their doors each morning not only to earn a living, but to keep their communities functioning. 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Accordingly, neither Shell plc nor any member of the Shell Group endorses, adopts, certifies or otherwise validates the information and material contained on the linked website. This includes its sponsor and any policies, activities or services offered on the site, by any advertiser on the site or linked to the site.\r\n\r\nThank you for visiting the Shell website"},{"name":"themeMode"},{"name":"lastModified","value":"2026-03-25T13:33:36.404Z"},{"name":"themeName","value":"base"},{"name":"themePath","value":"/etc.clientlibs/amidala/clientlibs/theme-base"},{"name":"themeCss","value":"/etc.clientlibs/amidala/clientlibs/theme-base.ACSHASHb291465fc8d3c7bcefde74d34044b698.css"}]},"id":"/content/shell/countries/namibia/en_na/latest-stories/community-skills-at-work-supporting-micro-and-small-enterprises/jcr_content"}