He completed grade 9 in secondary school – a village boy from Okongo in northern Namibia seeking for employment because he had to assist his father to take care of the rest of the family. He currently resides in Swakopmund where he found a job as a cleaner at the karakul weaving factoring owned by foreigners from Britain. Today, 15 years later, he is computer literate and owns his own enterprise, Karakulia weavers
How did this come about this?
As a cleaner, he found himself having extra time on his hands. He decided to help in the weaving workshop where he learned to position the spools with different karakul wool to form patterns. Soon he was able to make his own designs. The designer left and he took over the position as full-time designer at Karakulia. In the meantime, the income he received supported his family back home. It was not long before he was made supervisor of the workshop and sales. He managed the designs, the staff, the dying processes and the sales.
The owner decided to retire to the United Kingdom and a South African couple took the business over. It soon became bankrupt.
Moses Helao applied for N$500 000 funding from the Development Bank of Namibia, but the loan application was declined. He had some savings, but it was not enough to buy and operate the business. He had two options 1. To go job hunting or 2. To find funding and buy the Karakulia factory. He applied for a second time to DBN and this time the loan for half a million was approved. For him it was not easy to make ends meet in the beginning but with sweat and sometimes tears he made it happen.
He says he could not have achieved what he has achieved without his wife and family. His loan is fully paid off, but the building belongs to NIDA, and he wishes he could own the building. Dreams do come true, sometimes.
From cleaner to a successful entrepreneur at the same business, that is what is called tenacity and determination.
We congratulate Mr. Moses Helao from Karakulia Weavers in Swakopmund with his induction as a Laureate of the Namibian Business Hall of Fame in 2022 has received another accolade for the being the Exhibiter for Micro, small and Medium Enterprises. We congratulate Mr. Moses Helao for yet another feather in his cap.