Kashindi:

1. Welcome Miss Eunice Shanghetenge to Namambe?

Thank you very much. I really appreciate being here.

2. How many cars did you drive so far?

My mom’s car, after attending driving schools

3. Who is your role model?

I am inspired by singers. Especially South African gospel singers, not what they sing but I look at them and all I see is that desire to be creative/invent, which is all in us and all we have to do is find ours.

4. Please introduce yourself to Namambe’s readers?

I am Eunice Shanghetenge, aged 24. Born in Oranjemund and grew up in the north of Namibia. I schooled in the north at Negumbo Senior Secondary School. I went to Cape Town from there, studied Bachelors of Honours in Chemistry at the University of the Western Cape (UWT) , 2013. While studying, I was in need of small money. I started making earrings from wool products, and then went into learning how to crochet baby shoes on you tube. I started making money for myself by selling through Gumtree and never went back to earrings then. I studied and did this as well. I didn’t get a job after studying, but because of my small business, I am a busy person and do not worry about job hunting that much. This is just what I have to do and when doing it I forget about stress and failure. It’s fun to do the impossible, and when you innovate, everyone will tell you nuts. But this is my hobby and I want to turn it into a profitable enterprise, express my creativity and help that in need.

5. You seem to be very creative, how do you make baby shoes from wool? Where did you get that idea from?

I love arts so much. UWC has the best internet ever. Free 24/7. I thought of making use of it. So I started researching on what hands can do. And I bumped into crocheting earrings and just basically knitting. I then started to teach myself on how to do the patterns and etc.

6. Why did you study Chemistry at the Unversity of the Western Cape and what did you learn from that?

Chemistry is my world. I used to pass it with A’s in high school. One teacher, known as Mrs Ndilula from Erundu combined school then, made me love Chemistry. It’s just good to study something you know you’ll pass well. It’s like doing a puzzle which is fun. Very challenging and not boring. I can’t imagine studying a boring course…Eish! I will just fail. It’s all about chemical changes taking place all around us, hence we live because of chemistry, You just gotta love it.

7. You indicated that knitting has been your hobby and you managed to turn it into a profitable business enterprise, can you tell us more about this?

Yes, because I only use to make the woolen earrings by myself, just for wearing with different outfits. So when I attend classes people started to get impressed. Then my close friends told me to start making and charge them. I immediately put the idea into practice, but then, the raw materials needed for the earrings were so expensive. Money wise, I then thought of babies, the fact that they can wear wool anytime of the year. Most of my competitors deal with only retail of wool, crocheting adult products/materials, or kitchen staff or mats etc, but haven’t seen none that focus mainly on crocheting baby shoes, in other words, this makes me gain advantage over them. They only focus on making woolen clothes for winter, as when it comes to summer, no adult would want to wear that in hot conditions. And those that focuses on baby staff, its either hats only or socks but not compared to specifically a shoe design. Looking at the fact that babies are being born every day and with my products it doesn’t have to be summer or winter, most respectively all my products whether boots or sandals find their way into the customer’s hands. A baby that is newly born requires booties and those that are several months’ old require sandals during changes in temperature. The wool is of good quality, innovative design and therefore I sell at very cheap price, just to make sure that people will always get a pair anytime any day. And the people are really buying.

8. How many people would you like to work with and what are the requirements and your contact details?

I am going to offer training to more than 10 people there at a later stage. As for now, I only need two people who I can train to become managers and do the planning, budgeting and structuring of staff because I am also job hunting, so when I eventually get a job in my field, I will leave these two people to lead while I am gone. The two people needed should be unemployed, of any age and have knowledge of wool. We will be making shoes from my home, the three of us. We share ideas and basically just create a culture of which people can make their own talents.

9. Where is your business located if people would like to see for themselves? And how can you be contacted?

The training for 10 people will be done at the Katutura Youth Centre, and will be announced later after dealing with the two workers. The three of us will be working from home.  In order to see my staff, you just have to visit my home. But I am registered as Wool-ys Investment cc, Contact number: 081 737 5735.

10. Is there something that you have learned during your study in South Africa that you would like to share with our youth here at home?

All I want to say is that everyone is equal, whatever you don’t have I have it, and whatever that you have, I might not have it. So people should stop trying to prove to others how good they are because not everyone will celebrate you, whether you like it or not. We all have creativity in us; if u can’t find a job find something to do, use your mind. My dad once told me that, “a qualification is just a title, maybe just to say you went to school. You cannot fully rely on that. Some people started working long ago and still up to now they have nothing. Business is survival, it will always cover you up” When you do things through creativity, God will always honor you, and promote you more.

11. In your humble opinion what should unemployed youth try to do to help themselves?

Dream the impossible, never take no for an answer.

See below what this lady is doing and contact her to place your order: 081 737 5735 Her FaceBook Page: Just My Hands