The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruption to businesses worldwide and Namibian start-ups are no exception. As the country eases its lockdown measures and more businesses are reopening, employers are prescribed to adhere to hygiene safety requirements. In order to fight the spread of the virus, it has become the new normal for businesses to regularly disinfect office furniture surfaces, provide hand washing facilities, keep hand sanitizers on their premises and comply with hygiene practices such as the mandatory use of masks.

German Government supports in addressing COVID19 challenges

In order to help start-ups and small businesses to reopen safely and generate revenue again, StartUp Namibia together with the Ministry of Industrialization and Trade (MIT) has designed the COVID-19 Hygiene and PPE Kit. The initiative is part of the support of the German Government to address the challenges of the Corona Pandemic to Namibia. It aims to supply hygiene and personal protective equipment to start-ups in order to implement preventative hygiene measures at their premises.

Through this hygiene support measure, 1,000 kits consisting of 2L handwash, 2L hand sanitizer, 2L disinfectant and 5 face masks will be provided on a competitive basis to start-ups. “It’s of utmost importance that we get our economy started again. But it’s critical that businesses which reopen adhere to the hygiene safety regulations as well as the social distancing rules. The kits will both protect our citizens and help businesses to reopen shops,” said Dr Michael Humavindu, Deputy Executive Director at the Ministry of Industrialization and Trade. Eligible businesses must be registered and in operation for less than five years.

In order to apply, businesses will need to submit the following via an online application:

• Founding Statement from BIPA, indicating that your business is in operation for less than 5 years
• Valid SME Certificate
• Business continuity plan to detail the use of kits by answering the following questions:
  
  How many people did your business employ before the lockdown?
  What measure(s) are you taking to maintain a hygienic working environment?
  How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the demand for your products or services?
  On average, how many customers did you receive at your business on a daily basis before the lockdown?

Online applications open on 20 May 2020 until the 3 June 2020. An independent committee comprising of StartUp Namibia stakeholders and partners will assess the kit applications. Kits will be awarded to applicants on a competitive basis. Kits will be distributed as of 8 June 2020. Successful applicants will need to pick up their kit from the nearest Ministry of Industrialization and Trade (MIT) Regional Office or MIT Headquarters in Windhoek.

StartUp Namibia encourages all start-ups that meet the eligibility criteria to visit www.startupnam.org today and apply. Women-owned businesses and businesses from the regions are specifically encouraged to apply. For more information please e-mail covid19@startupnam.org.

Background information

The StartUp Namibia project is a joint Namibian-German technical cooperation project for Sustainable Economic Development, funded by the German Government and implemented by GIZ together with the Namibian Ministry of Trade and Industrialization (MIT), the Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation (MHETI) and the City of Windhoek (COW).

StartUp Nambia is established in an Incubation and Innovation Center on the premises of the Bokamoso Entrepreneurial Centre in Windhoek and will serve four regions through mobile outreach platforms. The Centre will incubate start-ups and serve as a “one-stop-shop” for all needs a start-up business faces in its ideation, establishment, and growth phases.