Namibia - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

bags_by_ours are locally produced Namibian products, made with upholstery material. The idea came about when we saw a gap in the market for lack of locally produced goods in Namibia. Unemployment further pushed us, for making and selling them for survival

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

Due to unemployment I and my two partners started importing counterfeit products to sell them locally and make profits, some of this products included handbags. We then saw that the demand for the handbags we were importing became high, thereafter we decided upon ourselves to try and create a local handbags so we won't need to be traveling out of the country for foreign products. Thereafter we sew a gap in the market for masks when covid 19 hit us. We the approach some people with Sewing machines to help us make some masks to resell, eventually we made some funds from selling this masks and we acquired a home hand machine, with this machine we started making Handbags and our demand for our handbags became high, theafter with the profits we manages to acquired one Industrial Sewing Machine that we are currently using to date. Our current challenge is; lack of funds to buy more machinery and employ more manpower to meet the demand, as we only have two employees at the moment.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

Our demand for our local handbags has increased exponentially and our challenge is that, we don't have enough machinery, we don't have enough manpower and we don't have enough funds to meet our day to day expenses which includes wages, logistics expenses etc. We have pleaded with donors and government organs for funds or any dororship through machinery but we have not succeeded so far. Our other main challenge is that our station is an apartment that we rent in the Northern part of Namibia,keeping up with paying the rent and paying employees wages is also a challenge and the fact that our station is based in the North parts of Namibia and our highest demand (clients) are mostly based in Windhoek the capital City of Namibia, sending products to the capital city for our clients is a challenge, as sometime our stock gets lost or its arrivals is always delayed and this leaves our clients frustrated and bad mouth our business.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

Our main aim is to become suppliers , by supplying handbags, clothing (all garments) at a very low price. Our price per handbag is at a very low N$50.00 (Fity Namibian dollars). This allows our clients to buy in bulk from us and resell at their desired prices. By this all of us can benefit from our very own locally produced Namibian products, in other words one Namibia one Nation.🇳🇦

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

Our vision is to create employment and youth ingagement. This start up has so far employed two employees when it expands in a mega factory we will be able to employment thousands. Our products which includes handbags, and clothing are aimed to our country's inhabitants, they can buy our local supplies at very cheap prices and resell them, this will enable them to beat poverty. Our products can also enable our clients to employ other people to resell for them. When we employ people, we also train them, give them Sewing skills and Experience, this means that they acquire a skill for life, it can enable them to start their own businesses and employ more people. Our products are and will contribute to poverty reduction and reduce the employment rate in our country, which is our vision.

01.05 When was your company established?

2021-05-08

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

2

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

0

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

Xumenikomesho Tosh Shinana, college drop up skilled and experienced in sewing and identifying market trends. James Stefanus Dausab, skilled and experienced in sewing and cutting, upholstery and fabric material.

01.10 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link(s) here:

https://www.instagram.com/bags_by_ours?igsh=eGtrbjA4NHZram15

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

e) Secondary commodities (cars and parts, consumer durables and apparel, retail)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

Our start has employed two females, One with a child, One a University Law Student and one male student so far. Our female employee works a distance to come to the work station with her baby boy estimate age 2 years. The wages that we pay her help to put food on her table. Our male employee is a student and the funds help him pay his school expenses. Us the owners also survive on the start up for ends meet. Currently our clients are buying our products in bulk to resell at higher prices to make profits for survival purposes. Our Vision is to employee more people and supply more local produce at a reasonable price. For the benefit of our countries inhabitants, one Namibia one Nation. We have and end goal which is to set up a mega factory, this will enable us to supply our local goods to other African countries and internationally at reasonable prices to allow everyone to benefit from the fruits of our labor.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

Our start has two employees so far, our vision is employment creation, this will reduce the poverty rate. Our products are also sold to our clients at a very cheap price, some buy and bulk to resell at market prices, this enables them to beat poverty/hunger.

02.03.01 My startup contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

We do interact with our employees on issues that they are faces and try to solve this issue, so that our production is not effected and or employ mental state is always intact.

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

Our start enables all our employees to get educated on sewing machines and sewing skills and knowledge. This skills and education are lifelong and can enable them to start their own startups

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

Our start up has 3 employees so far. Two females and a young Male university student. We strive to continue to contribute to the gender equality goal locally and internationally

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

4

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

4

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

Our startups station is conducive for us and our employees, our employees are well remunerated and our start is and will contribute to the country's economic growth as we will export our local products and reduce the high employment rate. It will contribute to our economies increase in GDP.

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

In Namibia, we have less innovative ways of doing this, we usually just import products from foreign countries. Our start up is beating the odds to be one of, if not the only one to create very affordable handbags with good quality at the same time. For other businesses creating handbags in our country, their products are not affordable, their prices are not reasonable as ours. We found innovative ways to make our products at a low costs of production, thus our prices will always remain low.

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

Our start contributes to closing the gap that is set by imports being less than exports in our country. Its a fact that Namibia has more foreign products than locally manufactured products

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

4

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

4

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

4

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

3

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

3

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

3

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

Our startup vision and actions is in line of the goal of poverty eradication in Namibia. As our start up has employed people and taught our employees Sewing skills this can enable them to start their own business and enable them to survive and employ other people.

06.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

4

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

4

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.06 The product/service responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.08 Justification for my startup

Our handbags are made creatively with our innovative skills, we found a way to use cheaper products but produce a high quality product, this how we are beating our competitors and this is way our demand is very high. A good quality product with very low pricing

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Our main competitor is Shilong leather, they produce leather bags and other products. What makes us stand out is that we manage to make a product that is good in quality and we are offering it at a very low cost and also the fact that we are inclusive we want our country's inhabitants for everyone to afford our local products and for them to buy from us and resell for their benefits. Generaly our project is based on public interest.

11.05 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?