Us NAMIBIA AUG-SEPT 2017 • Vol. 01, ISSUE 12 • N$20
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A mother because of rape, Lisa opens up
Hilma’s quest
AUG-SEPT 2017 • ISSUE 12 • N$20
When he insists on paying the bill: Chauvinism or chivalry?
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Vol. 1, Issue 12 Aug-Sept 2017
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Andrew Kathindi | Editor editor@usnamibia.com.na 081 800 0250
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Contents 04. Heroes: Hilma’s quest: From janitor to hotel supervisor.
15. Pets: The Do’s and Don’ts of washing your Dog
08. Entrepreneurship: Innovation Incubator finding life in Okahandja
18. Relationships: When he insists on paying the bill: Chauvinism or Chivalry?
08. Entrepreneurship: In entrepreneurship, failure is only a stepping stone
19. Relationships: What do you do when your spouse is suicidal?
09. Entrepreneurship: From metallurgical engineering to courier innovator
20. Lifestyles: Daredevils of the Namib desert
11. Against all odds: A mother because of rape, Lisa opens up.
22. Tourism: The perfect romantic getaway AUG-SEPT 2017 • Us NAMIBIA
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HEROES
Hilma’s quest: From janitor to hotel supervisor If you judge the fish by its ability to climb, it is bound to fail – Albert Einsten Hilma Onesmus remembers the incident that completely changed her life. She had just joined the company as a cleaner, mainly tasked with clearing tables at the Venus Shopping Centre’s Take-Away division, owned by Walvis Bay businessman, John Savva. That was 14 years ago.
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he had walked in, almost bare-footed, rugged, tired from the bashing of society but hopeful. The only job she could manage was cleaning, so they settled for crumb cleaning job. “One of the days Ms Savva found me busy cleaning the take-away tables and a discussion ensued where she asked about my past and future. I told her that I wanted to study hospitality. The only problem was my lack of education. I did not even know how to turn on the computer,” recalls Hilma. After the customers left, she had to clean the dishes, and silverware into a buss pan, then wipe off all food soils, spills and crumbs into a rag, remove the dishes and carry them directly into the kitchen.
In trying her level best each day, each day was becoming more challenging for Hilma. The more she was trying her best, the more mistakes she was making, she says. But rather than getting disheartened, she introspected. She wasn’t enjoying what she was doing, it was a huge pain to carry. Yet she knew what she didn’t want to do, but did not know how to do what she wanted. Fortune favours the bold. Hilma learnt from the restaurant discussions that the company was struggling with the Atlantic Hotel chef whose lifestyle was not at par with the demands of the job. “I picked up that she would go AWOL for days especially when paid and had other domestic problems. So I decided to moonlight. Half the day I would spend cleaning the tables, the other I would be checking the chef in hotel kitchen.” In no time, the chef left for good and Hilma’s progression began. By 2010, she had moved from the kitchen at Venus to the hotel. “Ms Savva told me if I have to do travel and tourism, I need to know everything about
the industry before I even go to school. I started learning computers from the ladies at the front desk. When the hotel restaurant was not busy, I would come to the front desk to attend to clients and log in details into the systems.” That same time, she had raised enough to register for a diploma in hospitality. And it shocked her paymasters. Still, Hilma continued to work her way up the ladder, landing her diploma in 2013, by then she was already a supervisor, managing one of the best hotels in Walvis Bay, The Atlantic Hotel, the only one mostly frequented by the who’s who of Namibian politics and economic lifestyles. With a storied history like this, she becomes a perfect example of sound business strategy and human capital development.
“There is nothing about this Atlantic hotel or Venus Shopping Centre that I do not know. It is not going for 15 years. I came here, no education, no boyfriend, no one wanted me. Today I am well education, married with three kids. One of my kids is named after my boss’ late son, Yianni. These people have made a huge impact on my career and as a tribute to him, I’d like to share with you some of the lessons he taught me about how to push people to excel, how to forge a collection of individuals with varying talents and drive into a formidable team, and how to make work fun,” thus Hilma.
Hilma’s advice to other bosses: • Set the bar high and then push your team to raise it higher. • Make excelling a team activity. Mr Savva encourages the staff to share ideas and work in progress and to help each other improve. We became a learning organization, where morale was high and relationships were deep. • Promote your team in the organization. • Remember that management is personal. Mr Savva makes us a part of his life and genuinely cares about us. Ms Savva really gets to know the staff, which deepens our loyalty and allows them to gain insights into how to motivate each of us. • Champion your people.
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HEROES
AUGUST 2017 • Us NAMIBIA
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Thank you for serving the Nation. Happy Birthday President Hage Geingob
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ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Walvis Bay Entrepreneur makes Belgian Chocolate with an African crunch
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hocolates sweeten more than just relationships. In fact, they can provide a new kind of life even for corporate events. That is what Adeline Bruwer, in a sweet sense, discovered. From working in a bank for a decade, five years of pig farming, a transport and clearing business to creating chocolate art might not be the most consistent business trajectory, but for Bruwer, it was destiny. Thanks to the pursuit of a 2010 dream, literally. When Bruwer had a dream in 2010 that she was running a chocolate factory, she discarded it as simply just that, a dream. It was the de-ja-vu of 2013 having visited a chocolate factory in Cape Town. “I always loved chocolates, but never thought I’ll start making the most wonderful chocolates in the world myself. After my Cape Town experience, I began manufacturing the chocolate myself and in no time started training three domestic workers as we grew the business.” Belgian Chocolatique is not just about making something sweet to munch on, but crafting memories that melt in your mouth. But establishing has been harder than she initially anticipated. From sugarless chocolate to pralines for the diabetic, birthdays corporate events to weddings, Bruwer gets creative in her chocolate studio. Her business card chocolates are clear testament of this creativity. Even chocolate with your picture on it!
Ask President Hage Geingob, she says. “It was around his 75th birthday when I personally met him at the little outlet of ours at the new International Airport of Walvis Bay during the opening ceremony when the President and First Lady each took a chocolate from my hands, putting it straight in their mouths, and the compliments thereof were hearty...
How Adelaine makes her chocolate. • To make chocolate, they start off by cutting up big blocks of 5kg of chocolate each, thereafter melt it and put it into a chocolate machine which keeps 30 kg of melted chocolate.
...That was a huge boost on our hard work and I really hope that we will be fortunate welcome him to our micro chocolate factory in Walvis Bay one day,” she says with delight.
• Before moulding any chocolate, one has to temper the chocolate, the most difficult part of chocolate producing, to get the correct crystal balance, for the chocolate to have the beautiful shiny look.
Importing from Belgium, she works meticulously to see that all her clients are covered for.
• Thereafter scrape the chocolate moulds and start the first layer of the moulding process. After waiting a couple of minutes for the chocolate to set, put in the filling which should be prepared a couple of hours beforehand, then the last layer of chocolate to close off the chocolate product.
The most popular chocolate is definitely the cinnamon cup, also known as the “melk tertjie”, which is actually a replica of a traditional Boere melktert in one bite. But a new chocolate, the Nutella truffle is gaining popularity. From a factory in Walvis Bay, Bruwer supplies her chocolate all over the country, to as far as Legacy Hotel at the Waterfront in Cape Town, a corporate client for beautiful corporate gifts in France and the wedding favours of England.
• After the chocolate sets, it is frozen for about two minutes to get the chocolate out of the mould. The entire process takes about 30 minutes, about 21 chocolates coming from one mould where 5 000 chocolates per day are produced during peak times with only four people in the production part of the business.
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Innovation Incubator finding life in Okahandja
By Andrew Kathindi
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Innovation is not always the end-product of SME endeavours.
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he prospect of starting up a business of your own is often encapsulated by the need to make money as soon as possible, and the desire to venture into something that brings satisfaction. Louise Mwanyangapo has been building a culture of innovative entrepreneurship since 2010 when she established the first flea market of Namibia. Open markets have flourished in Namibia, from the Kuryangava Stop n Shop, Single Quarters and others, they have been a great location for finding that traditional sauce you just can’t find in the shops. After growing the culture of innovation for six years at Tuuthikeni flee market, Louise’s next journey is The Market. Nestled in the cosy Okahandja Shopping Mall, The Market is becoming an outlet for young business minded pursuing entrepreneurship. As police and municipality clamp down on street vending, The Market is providing a solution. “I want to take the entrepreneurial culture that we developed at Tuuthikeni Flee Market and develop it even further. The Flee Market only happened once a month and with that we saw that Namibians are very creative,
In entrepreneurship, failure is only a stepping stone
and now we want to go to the next step,” Louise tells Us. Out of 32 shops at the Incubator, 10 have already been successfully running since January. After assigning local graphic designers to beautify the centre and art-preneurs to paint it. Louise’s call to young business owners has been to find their identity and provide products that show the creativity of Namibians, tying into exactly why they are in Okahandja and not, say, Windhoek. “In a way, they are not just marketing themselves, they are marketing the country.” With a rich history and being the closest town to the capital city, Okahandja has grown significantly over the years as a key tourist town. While the proximity to other businesses allows exhibitors at the Flee Market to network and create a dynamic link, some business have been intimidated by the mushrooming of shopping malls with international brands, “but The Market is a way for businesses to offer the same services at a more intimate level, at the same time it offers affordable rates of two and a half thousand including waste removal.” Us
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failed business can be one of two things. A final blockade to all your entrepreneurial dreams, or a learning curve and stepping stone to success. For Titus Petrus, it was the latter. In 2013, he quit his first and last job as casual worker at Woermann & Brock, which he held from 2007-2012, to establish his house cuca shop and taxi business. Alas, both failed and for a year, life was tough. “I had a younger brother who was at school and mom to take care of. I was also renting myself. I knew I had to come up with a new and better plan,” he tells Us. The answer was transportation, but unlike what the taxi business that did not work out for him just the previous year, he decided to go bigger. Thus, Penomuntu investment was born.
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While humble beginnings also meant supplying stationary and cleaning equipment to government ministries and other private companies, in 2015 he realised there was a need for transport in and around the city. “Today we are mainly transporting people who are moving houses, moving into retirement homes or transporting furniture. We also transport outside of Windhoek, including Okahandja, Rehoboth, Gobabis and Mariental,” he says. We also do hiring of events and construction equipment, tents and chairs. From unemployment, Petrus currently employs three permanent and two parttime. He plans on employing an additional four in a month’s time. As business is expanding, Petrus is in the process of finding a bigger truck for his business.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
From metallurgical engineering to courier innovator ‘Your greatest frustration is something you were put here to solve.’
December last year, they became the only courier service in operation that allows the E-wallet, Blue Wallet and Easy Wallet payment systems of the top three banks.
or metallurgical engineer and now CEO of EasiPost, Thomas Shuuya, it was certainly the case. In fact, after years of being based at Rossing mine, he found that he could not get any couriers to collect the documents he needed to submit at Ministry of Home Affairs in Windhoek and had to drive to Swakopmund.
After establishing themselves in six months, and getting plenty of repeat clients, that means about 100 packages being sent out daily, and most clients in Swakopmund book directly through Thomas. From overseeing the efficiency of a mining plant, he has had to reinvent himself, not the least of which good customer service.
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So Thomas sat down with his business partner, Rafael, to strategies on how they could come up with a solution. “At the same time, a friend of ours, Moses, a chemist, who has a lab in Windhoek and an office in Walvis Bay was also experiencing the same problems with sending his samples to Windhoek on time and had a similar solution. So the three of us partnered and Easipost was started,” he tells Us. Of course, setting yourself aside from a host of other courier services can be a hurdle to navigate, but Thomas and his team worked bringing creativity and innovation to their business plan, and thus, after launching in
EasiPost established a route system that allows for easy overnight delivery. “Before it gets to the receiver, we contact them when the package is about 50km from them. As soon as we sign off the package in good condition we inform the sender.
by EasiPost, 4 drivers, 2 admin, 1 in Windhoek, the other in Swakopmund, with a head of finance and head of business development. They are busy with plans to expand the northern route, which is Phase B of the business model. Phase C is southern route and with that their numbers will grow to 10. With four vehicles on hand, Thomas says, “Our biggest clients are engineering consulting firms who have a lot of formal documents that need to be sent through, including tender applications. Photographers, accounting firms, some items from garages, parts that they need sent through. Some big shipments are trucked by their own guys, but some parts need to be sent adhoc which they use us for. We also have pharmacies and some private doctors.” Us
That constant update and assurance has allowed people to obtain a certain amount of trust in us. Our packages are collected in Walvis Bay, Swakop, Arandis, Usakos, Karibib, Okahandja and Windhoek. The Walvis/Swakopmund packages are collected directly at your doorstep. In the in-between towns, we have depots who collect packages, with two locations in each town,” Thomas says. Currently 10 people are employed
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May this birthday month be filled with countless blessings to you, our comrades and leaders.
HEROES
From the Savva family. Hon. John Mutorwa
Former President. Hifikepunye Pohamba
Hon. Nangolo Mbumba
Hon. Nahas Angula
August 17
August 18 August 22
August 15
His
Exc ellenc y . Dr. H August 3
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b o g ein G e g a
AGAINST ALL ODDS
A mother because of rape, Lisa opens up
It was supposed to be an exciting first-time trip to Windhoek for this Ondangwa girl. Far from her parents, the freedom to explore the city with cousins and friends.
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t 17, she was just days in Windhoek and had friends organise a hairdo in Golgotha, Katutura on a late Thursday afternoon.
Afraid of what the police would think as she did not have a look at her attacker’s faces, she did not have the composure to lay any charges.
Everything was adding up to a fun-filled April 2012 holiday. The hair-dresser finished late and Lisa’s attempts to call her cousin for a pick-up were fruitless. All their phones were off.
“I just remember going into my cousin’s room and crying and started processing what had just happened and I felt dirty. I went to take a shower.”
“I did not have taxi money because the plan was that I was going to be picked up from Golgotha.” Instinctively, she walked to grab a cab in the highway with the hope of negotiating with the taxi-driver that someone will pay upfront at the house in Wambo-Location. “It was quite dark. I noticed three men walking behind me. At first I didn’t mind but then they started increasing their pace. Before I knew it, they caught up to me. Everything from there is a blur but I just remember them pinning me down to the ground. One guy was holding me down, one was on top of me and one was keeping watch while I was raped,” she tells Us. A good-Samaritan passing by heard her screams and scared the men away, but in that confusion, Lisa also fled the scene, in the opposite direction.
Two months later, she began noticing changes to her body. Vomiting in the morning and eventually a belly bump. A pregnancy by rape was the last thing she expected or wanted. More than twice she contemplated ending her life and subsequently her child’s. Lisa gave birth nine months after the Golgotha evening. “I shut out most of my friends but my mom was very supportive. She sat me down and told me to be positive. She said God always has a plan for everything. I should not look at the child as a curse but as a blessing. She got me a psychologist because I became depressed. My mom took up most of the decisions when it came to the baby’s health. She told me we would raise her together,” she says. Today, walking down the halls of the People’s Friendship
University Of Russia where she is a second-year student, 22-yearold Lisa has a different kind of skip in her step today. She has just spoken to her 4-yearold daughter in Katima Mulilo living with her mother and the conversation was a boost like a morning’s mug of coffee.For today she can focus on enzymes and cellular structures and not that dreaded conversation she would have to have with her bundle of joy one day.
Today, Lisa uses her experience to encourage other women on social media platform. She writes, “Young women who have gone through the same thing that I have, you are a survivor. What you went through doesn’t define you. You’re stronger today because of what happened. It was never your fault so don’t blame yourself and whatever goals you set for yourself you can still achieve. Stay strong, stay your course.”
Like Lisa, whose father died when she was very young, her 4-yearold will grow up for most of her life without a father. “As she grows, and I do, one day I will have to tell her obviously of how she was conceived. For now I’m just watching her grow and live her happy life. She is a happy child and that is something I don’t want to steal from her. When the time is right I will tell her about her conception. I just hope that it will bring some peace to her. I also grew up without a father so I know what it’s like, but if you have a super mom by your side that is all she needs,” she says.
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Fast food, fast cars, fast life & then there is fast Matangara Simon by his Vrrr Pha, off to get Matangara
Simon Iipumbu had just received the 5th call from his mom in 40 minutes. She was visiting from Oshikuku for the first time since he settled into his own Windhoek apartment and was growing impatient with his self-made GPS skills. Unbeknownst to Meme Iipumbu her son is intentionally playing delaying tactics so that she gets home to a cooked meal. Only that Simon has no clue what to prepare for the best cook he has ever known.
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imon Iipumbu had just received the 5th call from his mom in 40 minutes. She was visiting from Oshikuku for the first time since he settled into his own Windhoek apartment and was growing impatient with his self-made GPS skills. Unbeknownst to Meme Iipumbu her son is intentionally playing delaying tactics so that she gets home to a cooked meal. Only that Simon has no clue what to prepare for the best cook he has ever known. “She’s paid for my entire education and visiting me at my own place is a milestone for both of us, but the one thing she would be disappointed in me is if I served her restaurant food. She would rather cook herself than go out. And I do not want her to cook on the first day in Windhoek. She needs to rest. I need plan B,” he says, walking into one of Windhoek’s leading retail shops. Rummaging through the aisles and about to settle on lean mince, he ponders, it’s too light a meal for his special visitor. And then meat!? But who will cook for her? His mind races. Only his girlfriend would do this better, but Simon is not ready to introduce her to his mum on day one. He needs something faster. “Of course, meme will ask for tea and bread at first but I need something to hold her tummy overnight.”
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African Deli founder Silvanus Bobboh Kathindi
Suddenly, something catches his attention. He grabs the plastics, places it back on the shelf with a grin. Then goes back for it. Reads the package again. It appears real. It appears Namibian. In fact, it is Namibian. Ready-made Matangara in gravy and chilli sauce. The instructions are simple, all he has to do is chuck the packet into the microwave for 3 minutes. Standing in the cashier queue with his package in hand, somehow doubting but yet relieved, he finally answers his mom’s call and gives her the right directions. “Just wait there at City of Windhoek where the taxi dropped you. I was bathing,
African Deli has thus far created 55 new jobs to young Namibians, of which some are fresh graduates from UNAM, NUST and CPUT. One can say years of founding and running Etale Fishing, one of the coast’s largest fishing vessels businesses, prepared Kathindi for the journey he has now embarked on. His preparatory work during the early stages of the development of the business was extensive and well researched. Some of the aspects that I delved into where identifying the required processing technology, putting together a bankable business plan and thereafter raised funding, obtaining all relevant certification to commence business, developing packaging concept, inclusive of styling and typical nutritional information and several other duties. Their projections in terms of growth, is to produce 30-million servings by the year 2020.
Behind the scenes: the African Deli team I am just getting down the elevator then I come there,” he lies forking out N$50 and handing it over to the cashier, who is laughing at the white lie from Simon. Who cares, he is sorted with this meal. Fast forward to 11am the next day. Simon is back in the same shop. Same cashier who remembers him with his cap. “My mom could not tell the difference. She ate it like I had prepared it back in Oshikuku. I want these ten packs. It’s not too much, she doesn’t need to cook it every day. She is leaving after two days, but I want to stop buying pies and KFC. These matangara have an incredible shelf life of 18 months, so it is just what I need,” he says. A product of Africa Deli’s flagship brand, Dinolo, Matangara seems to have arrived just at the right moment for Simon. Single, fast life, fast food (KFC), new job, Vraaah Paah, defines him in short. Yet 400km away, at African Deli in Walvis Bay, 100 metric tons of tripe sourced from HACCP-certified facilities are processed per month, this equates to tripe from about 11,100 cattle, to fetish the lifestyles of time-chasers like Simon. Certified by the Namibian Standard Institution (NSI), the N$70m investment is the brain child of Walvis Bay business mogul, Silvanus ‘Bobboh’ Kathindi. “I was born in Mondesa. I spent most of my formative years, primary and secondary school holidays at Iikokola Village. I am one of those that can be traced back to both township and village lifestyles where traditional meals were the order of the day. Traditional food creates the bond between its people and their respective cultures,” Kathindi tells Us, and that is the backdrop on which ready-made Matangara was founded.
To sustain this, they import their tripe from certified abattoirs in Europe, and while some have looked on this with a curious eye, questioning why the tripe is not being purchased locally, African Deli has created a new market. “The volume of tripe from our Namibian HACCP-certified facilities are not enough to support the economic production volumes of our facility and it is also not our intention to compete in the supply chain of our local people, especially “the Memes that sell kapana”. We created a new market and a new product category and therefore, we also decided to create our own supply chain for our products so that all of us can co-exist in the Namibian House. In principle, we do not mind buying from our local facilities, provided they are certified.” With an on-site R&D laboratory where new ideas are conceptualised on a daily basis, Kathindi is just as involved as one of his food technologists. “It all starts first with the consumer and I am very involved in this interactive process of searching, identifying, and capturing value,” says Mr Matangara. Back in Windhoek, its Sunday afternoon and Simon’s mother is ready for her trip back to the North that evening. Her son has packed a bag full of goodies from toys to biscuits for his cousins back in the village. Somehow a Dinolo pack is protruding from one of her bags, and Simon notices it as their eyes collide immediately. She stuffs it back into the bag seemingly soliloquising in Oshiwambo, “You think we do not want convenient food also? I will arrive in Oshikuku in the morning and who do you think will be ready to make food for me, all those kids will be at school.”
With technology and urbanization, sitting for five hours to cook one meal becomes an inconvenience. And the rising electricity bills makes it more painful to sit and wait for matangara to cook. For African Deli, they will shortly be adding other lip-smacking flavours to the mix, including beef tripe in curry and in spicy chakalaka. Plus, their food technologists are busy developing a whole range of exciting traditional ready-meals. The Matangara product has no preservatives or added MSG and does not need any refrigeration prior to opening. It is produced in a convenient and modern microwavable packaging. It’s preparation process? Just heat-and-eat! “It took us about 5-years to get where we are today from marketing research, registration of trademarks and the setting up of our fully-fledged, value-add facility situated in Walvis Bay. With our matangara, we offer cost savings to customers by reducing their effort or time to prepare by 98% and their electricity and water consumption costs. We also eliminate the smell and flies in people’s homes,” he says.
African Deli founder Silvanus Bobboh Kathindi at the factory
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Langerhans @ 70
HEALTH
“We make it a point to employ people with different kinds of skill sets as different tribes and backgrounds offer different talents. We try to include everyone which teaches you to be able to work well with different people”
The Langerhans Team, from the left (standing): Angelique Mrefu, Brigitte Grimminger, Hilda Mutafela, Hisuva Kauhonina, Jea-Mare Bodenhorst, Isabella Gustavo, Tilie Freta, Tracy Lottering, Jenny Tjerije, Auleria Efraim, (knealing): Adino Tre, Kim Dreyer-Tre, Tryphina Sililo, Angelina Pedro tarting your own business from the ground up can be a monumental endeavour but continuing the legacy of a pharmacy with a 70-year history can be just as tricky. For husband and wife duo, Adino Tré and Kim Dreyer-Tré that is just what they have been doing with Langerhans Pharmacy.
We try to include everyone which teaches you to be able to work well with different people,” Adino tells Us.
Tucked in the cosy corner of Ausspanplatz in the capital, the pharmacy has existed since the late 40s and it is its great service and a willingness to go the extra mile that has seen them excel throughout the decades.
With an Engineering degree, Adino helps run the admin, fiancé and other aspects of the business, while Kim, who holds a B Pharm degree (Bachelor of Pharmacy) and has been working in the pharmacy industry since the age of 16 keeps the ship organised and managed.
Since 2001 when they became part of the Langerhans team and finally bought it over, they took up the challenge of continuing a 70-year-old legacy. In fact, “We remember one of our oldest customers, an elderly lady who insisted she remembered coming to the store in 1946. For us, that is both a compliment and a challenge to keep providing excellent service,” says Kim. It is this pharmaceutical approach that has allowed people to confide personal health issues in them. One normal day at Langerhans is never the same as the next. The company boasts of four pharmacists with a combined 60-year experience, a diverse team from different walks of life. Their multiculturalism is the imprint on the legacy of Langerhans. “We make it a point to employ people with different kinds of skill sets as different tribes and backgrounds offer different talents.
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The motto of Langerahans is that people remember how they were treated more than the treatment that they received.
But, “business is business and personal life is personal life and they should be kept separate. We have found a great working dynamic but if ever we disagree on anything we have a great diverse team that allows us to wisely make decisions that improve our customers’ lives,” says Kim.
“We remember one of our oldest customers, an elderly lady who insisted she remembered coming to the store in 1946. For us, that is both a compliment and a challenge to keep providing excellent service,”
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While another place would turn down a customer who is short of the funds required for the ailment, Adino says they always try and offer them an alternative to suit their budget In fact, they are one of the
few operating pharmacies that still accepts government medical aid. While this can sometimes work to their detriment, he stresses that government has been a key partner in offering service to people. Of course, great service and medicine is not their only asset. The popular Green Cross is their flagship product, as well as an array of perfumes, from Hugo Boss to Calvin Klein. For the next 70 years, the legacy of great service at Langerhans is what Kim and Adino aim to please.
HEROES PETS 3 Ways To Keep Your Dog Clean Without Having To Give them a bath
The Do’s and Don’ts of washing your Dog
D
octor Morgan de Wit has encountered many cases where puppies are brought to him on the verge of death simply because pet owners did not know how to properly wash them.
Here are his Do’s and Don’ts of washing your pets. 1. Never use household detergents to wash your puppy. Jeyes fluids, Sunlight or washing powder as they are highly corrosive and when a puppy ingests them, they can cause death. Many times pet owners have brought a puppies when it was too late to save them as their kidneys were already shutting down. Detergents can also burn the skin or dry out the skin. 2. We wash too frequently. A small dog is able to go a long time without a bath, farm dogs even longer. Washing a dog once every two weeks is enough.
1. Use Pet Wipes Handy and portable, these are a must have for any dog owner. You can also use baby wipes if need be. Make sure to avoid your pup’s eyes
The reason dog owners rush to wash their dogs too often is because they can smell when they come in the house, but you can purchase a registered dog shampoo that has a very nice lasting scent. 3. Dry them off well. Especially during winter or windy seasons, make sure that after giving your puppy a nice bath, you have dried it off with a towel. Don’t immerse the puppy in the water as they can get hyperthermia and die. Use a cloth. 4. Jumping and licking. When a puppy is young, you should train jumping and licking etiquette into it. Everyone has their own preferences unique for their pets. Some people don’t like pets in their beds but some do. When you train your pet, make sure you do it as part of a family as you don’t want to train them one thing and then have another member of the family give them different instructions. This
is important because with different washing methods and schedules, you don’t want your puppy or dog licking or jumping on your baby at home. 5. Teach them to enjoy the bath. There is a myth that dogs hate bath time but that is not true. Everything comes with training. There are lots of socialisation classes you can take with your dog but the idea is to get them used to the bath. They should enjoy it. Give them a treat when they are in the water or put on the sprayer and let them have fun. 6. Deworming. Washing is important but your dog should be dewormed regularly, once every three to four months and once every five to six months for farm dogs. If they have fleas or ticks, you should also take them to the vet. There are fluids, tablets and collars specifically for your pet. Let’s take care of our dogs. As they say, dog is man’s best friend.
2. Regularly brush your pup! Maintaining a routine in grooming your dog is very important. The regular upkeep will help reduce the amount of dirt and allergens on your dog’s fluff, which will keep them cleaner overall.
3. Dry Shampoo Baking soda and cornstarch are great for removing that “dog smell” most pups have. You can massage the powder through your dog’s coat using a towel.
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PROPERTY
Carel Fourie on managing a N$2.5b empire In the CBD, N$110m has been set-aside for new upgrades to the Gustav Voights Mall with improved aesthetic and a new Avani sky bar to rival Hilton’s. These are also Oryx Properties’ babies. But to be in charge of the capital’s most prestigious addresses, has also landed him dining with some of the best property tycoons in the world.
Carel Fourie is the new Chief Executive Officer for Oryx Properties, the only Namibian property company listed on the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSE), with a portfolio of N$2.5b. 16
Us NAMIBIA • AUG-SEPT 2017
Hard to believe. To say you work at Maerua Mall, one of Windhoek’s best buildings would be impressive. But to say you own the whole Mall, and three other malls, now that would just be hard to believe, right? Well believe it. Carel Fourie is the new Chief Executive Officer for Oryx Properties, the only Namibian property company listed on the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSE), with a portfolio of N$2.5b. He has been part of the Oryx family since 2011 and has witnessed the company expand to own mega Windhoek properties such as Maerua Mall, Gustav Voigts, Baines, M+Z Building in Tal Street, Channel Life building in Post Street and M+Z Building in Edison Street. “I am a dreamer and I never stop dreaming,” he tells Us from one of his 6th floor apartments in the iconic Maerua Office Tower landmark. It’s not one of those lavish gold decors covering the walls, or floors and ceilings of gold, it’s an office apart that is just a good match for Carel himself. Nothing out of the ordinary, except that from this view he oversees the new Virgin Active upgrading. It has been a N$25million project to move the Virgin Active gym from the western-end of the Mall to the far Eastern side over the recent months in a move meant to create space for a new entertainment centre, the biggest in Windhoek. Sharply dressed in a blue and beige-toned outfit, he is every bit the successful businessman he portrays: Passionate, hardworking, but humble down to his core.
“For me, learning is the biggest wealth. I continue to learn every day, this is my biggest success. People should dream, people should learn, and then people will achieve.” From his office, the pick axes clink into the concrete and the drilling machines alter the ambience of the Mall’s coffee allure, and this all adds to his excitement. “My vision is to diversify our portfolio. In this economy, it is wise to not have all your eggs in the same basket. Currently, we are speaking with partners to purchase property in Europe in an offshore venture. I want to see the company become a global force. We want to venture into newer territories besides properties, Oryx will be innovative and part of that phase is the 10 megawatts solar panels installed at Maerua Mall, which supplies 20% of the mall’s energy,” he tells Us. Carel has not let his success get to his head - nor the fact that he owns a huge chunk of one of the Windhoek’s most popular landmarks. “For me, learning is the biggest wealth. I continue to learn every day, this is my biggest success. People should dream, people should learn, and then people will achieve.” A two-year stint as senior Financial Accounting, Auditing, Managerial Accounting lecturer at Stellenbosch after graduating from
the University opened Fourie to the corporate world, where he arrived as chief operations officer at Oryx. An entrepreneur at heart, Fourie is also the director and co-owner of AB Products, a food sauce company he started with close friends while living in South Africa in 2007 that supplies to Pick ‘n Pay, Checkers and Spar across Southern Africa. It was this entrepreneurial spirit that pushed him to go from just focusing on finance to operations. “I was inspired by the words of my wife, Lizzel, who told me to ‘stop thinking like an accountant’. This was difficult to hear during this transitional period in my career because being an accountant was what I had studied and had been all my career. Certain people need to think like accountants, but those words really spurred me on,” he says. In the CBD, N$110m has been set-aside for new upgrades to the Gustav Voights Mall with improved aesthetic and a new Avani sky bar to rival Hilton’s. These are also Oryx Properties’ babies. But to be in charge of the capital’s most prestigious addresses, has also landed him dining with some of the best property tycoons in the world. A meeting with Andrew Köning defined Fourie’s career. Köning is the CEO of Redefine, a R65billion South African Property Company. “It reminds you how small you are but at the same time inspires you to work harder. Getting to talk to him was motivating but of course a bit intimidating,” he quips. Oryx took over ownership of Maerua Mall in 2001, and for a man who has overseen million
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dollar investments that enables him to operate three of Windhoek’s major malls, the Baines Shopping Centre, Maerua Mall and Gustav Voights, his is just but a simple life. An early morning jog with his dogs, a cup of coffee and then dropping the kids at school, is what complements this father of two’s private life, far from the highrise buildings of Windhoek. “People have very strong memories at Maerua Mall. It’s a sizable responsibility to keep it going, at the same time you’re keeping families going through employment because if you mess up then it affects thousands of lives. On top of that you have to please investors.”
A Life In Brief 1. An avid electric guitar player 2. Fitness junky. Has done the Iron Man triathlon in both Namibia and South Africa and goes into the gym every lunch hour. 3. Loves fantasy novels as they help him detach from work. His favourite is Lord of the Rings. 4. Married his college sweetheart.
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7 Independence Ave, Ausspannplatz, Windhoek
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RELATIONSHIPS
When he insists on paying the bill:
In Summary • We are forgetting that we are a long way off from the time when a woman’s only access to money was through the man in her life. • Then, it was right to stay home, give him babies and your company in exchange for some of his money. • The notion of the man being the absolute provider by default is outdated. His insisting on picking up the tab may not be chivalry, it could be chauvinism.
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he 19th century kind of chivalry where men charged in to rescue women and rode off with them into the sunset has no place in today’s society.“If you don’t pay for my drink and food, I will not date you,” said an acquaintance last weekend.
hurt if a woman pays for the drinks some of the time.
I was with a group of female friends discussing relationships in general when she made this declaration. Her argument? Women are fragile beings who should be pampered and taken care of. She called it chivalry.
It is wrong to think that by being female, you are automatically owed something.
I strongly disagreed and, of course, a heated argument ensued. I disagree with both the concept of a woman being a fragile thing needing a man’s protection and that a man should pay for all the dates that we go on.
First, the myth of the fragile womanhood in which women are portrayed as fragile objects in need of a man’s protection is false.
Do I want to be treated to surprises and pampering? Yes. But, I also have no problem reciprocating. Being on the receiving or giving end of care isn’t a role automatically assigned according to your gender. Chivalry Is Outdated
You may cry chivalry but I don’t think the 19th century kind of chivalry, where men stood every time a woman walked into a room or threw their jackets over muddy puddles so women would not soil their Lease At shoes when they crossed N$2,500 pm them, has a place in today’s society where Rental space available gender roles have shifted and SHOP FEATURES both genders Tuuthikeni Market provides a unique Okahandja Shopping Mall are fighting leasing platform at the new Okahandja Tuuthikeni.market@gmail.com for the same Shopping mall, offered to local innovative P.O Box 24259 Windhoek Namibian entrepreneurs who manufacture opportunities.
Everyone enjoys free drinks, but I don’t think it will
or craft goods locally.
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Us NAMIBIA • AUG-SEPT 2017
We are forgetting that we are a long way off from the time when a woman’s only access to money was through the man in her life.
We are forgetting that we are a long way off from the time when a woman’s only access to money was through the man in her life. Then, it was right to stay home, give him babies and your company in exchange for some of his money. The notion of the man being the absolute provider by default is outdated. His insisting on picking up the tab may not be chivalry, it could be chauvinism. Second, nothing is really free in this world. At least not in today’s dating scene. Any woman who has been wined and dined in the recent past will tell you that it came with unspoken expectations. Not all men want sex from you after lavishing you. Still, it comes with an unspoken expectation that you behave in a particular way. This isn’t because men are evil or manipulative. It’s nature. It is social integrity. When you accept a gift, there is the expectation of reciprocation even if not immediately. I would thus be very wary of a man who insists on being the only giver in a relationship. The third thing that none of us is paying attention to is how many of us turn a blind eye to a man’s other qualities as long as he pays the bills. So ladies, pay up every once in a while. It may leave a little dent on your bank account but it will stop you from being the dormant member of society.
By Joan Thatiah
Chauvinism or chivalry?
RELATIONSHIPS
There is no bigger blow in a relationship than the death by suicide of a spouse. In Summary
“These people don’t usually want to die but do want to alert those around them that something is seriously wrong. In some cases, they choose methods they think can’t cause death but which end up fatally, like swallowing poison or high doses of a drug,” he says.
There is no bigger blow in a relationship than the death by suicide of a spouse. In its trail come questions about why they ended their own life. As Miriam Hindjou – whose husband committed suicide – shared, the partner left behind will wonder what pushed them over when they seemed happy, calm and content. However, there will always be some signs that a spouse is at the end of their tether: They’re depressed: This is the foremost telltale sign, and the leading cause of suicide. According to Alex Lickerman, the author of The Undefeated Mind, by the time a spouse turns suicidal, their state of depression will have spiraled into a severe and pervasive sense of suffering and belief that escape from it is hopeless. “The pain of existence often becomes too much to bear and their state of depression warps their thinking into ideas such as ‘They’ll be better off without me.’
Self-degradation and the unheard cry for help: In many given instances, someone who has gone suicidal will tend to lose their conscious and subconscious sense of self-preservation. In its place, they will be imbued with self-hatred, shame and self-degradation. Additionally, says Lickerman, a suicidal person will have been crying out for help. “These people don’t usually want to die but do want to alert those around them that something is seriously wrong. In some cases, they choose methods they think can’t cause death but which end up fatally, like swallowing poison or high doses of a drug,” he says. Reaction to your concerns: According to Lisa Firestone, the author of Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice, one of the key things you will need to pay keen attention to is your spouse’s reaction when you appear to show concern. “He may quickly deny that he is in distress. He is ambivalent about wanting to be stopped, and if he makes actual statements or alludes to suicide, you must take his words very seriously,” she says. She adds that in some cases, a man on his way to committing suicide might be difficult to spot. However, very few spouses will commit suicide on impulse. In most cases, there will be signs. “Such people will seem happy and lead seemingly normal and happy lives. But inside, they
will be heavy laden with stress and depression,” she says. Sudden high spirits: This is one of those confusing symptoms. According to Firestone, if someone has finally decided to end their life, they are bound to become much calmer, relaxed, and even happier just before carrying out their suicide act.
By Simon Mburu
When your spouse is suicidal
She observes that this is usually because they believe that they have found the perfect solution. She adds that this is why you will hear of how no one appeared to see an act of suicide coming because the person who did it was calm and contented. “People will wonder what pushed him over the edge when he appeared happy and contented. But in reality, his contentment was just a façade, beneath which were layers and layers of pain that they couldn’t stand anymore,” she says. Us
“The pain of existence often becomes too much to bear and their state of depression warps their thinking into ideas such as ‘They’ll be better off without me.’”
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LIFESTYLES
Taming the daredevils of the Namib desert There is nothing like the rush of adrenaline you get when you do something that scares you, or something that brings out the thrill-seeking adventurer in you. Whether you want to challenge a phobia, or simply want to feel more alive, there are a number of thrilling destinations that offer you the adventure of a lifetime- adventures the inner Daredevil in you will be incredibly proud of. What are these adventures? Let’s take a look- but before that, make sure your safety belt is on!
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he Namib Desert is a mountain made entirely of sand. These sand dunes can be incredibly tall, and wide. There’s nothing like exploring Namibia’s portion of the Namib desert on a quad bike. But you need to have a backup game in mind. Just in case! The sand dunes go up in dust daily just next to the stretch between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund and the quad bikes roar to announce an adventure fit for daredevils has begun.
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or Joao Coimbra who owns and runs Daredevil Adventures, it has been a second chance at life after he broke his femur (thigh bone) while riding a horse in 2008. As a former rugby player, the outdoors has almost been the life for Joao, whether he was speeding down to tackle an opponent, riding a horse or bike, he has somehow almost been a daredevil. “At that point, I was at my lowest in terms of confidence. I was unable to walk for a whole year. Actually, I could have walked earlier but I messed it up by trying to walk without a crutch too soon. The worst feeling I’ve had was when the doctor sat me down and told me I would never play sports again,” he says. After walking again, an adventure isn’t just something he wanted to be able to go on again, it is something he wanted to offer to other people. Thus, since 2009 when he officially took ownership of the place and renovated it, about 45-60 people on a daily basis get to ride in the Namib desert on quad bikes, something that Joao has found that even many locals have only ever read of in a book, but hardly had the experience of. It may not be the thrill of running down a field with an oval
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Daredevil Adventures shaped ball in clutch, but the experience of running the quad activity arena has been his own adventure for the last eight years. “Pretty much every different nationality that has visited Namibia as a tourist has passed through Daredevil adventures at least once,” he says. On this particular day, a group of about 20 young French students’ and their chaperones eyes are lighting up as their led by guides to the bikes. For many of them it is their first time. “We have had people from Japan, Russia, Ukraine, China, all nationalities really. Locally, Gazza, who is a good friend of mine has visited us frequently.” South African celebrities, Kurt Darren, Robbie Vessels and Nicholas Lon have also made a stop at Daredevil Adventures, and while he may not have been able to share pitch with him, Joao welcomed South African rugby player, Percy Montgomery to the quad paradise. Running the place with his mother Sandra and father, has created an interesting dynamic. “Your parents will always be your parents, whether you’re the owner or not, but we work well together. I learn a lot from them every day and they learn from me as well.”
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LIFESTYLES All of us need that extra step in our life- one that will add vigour back into our routines, and add a spring to our step.
Skydiving in Swakopmund! It is noisy, yet quiet. The waves cascade over you like a mighty force as you swim, and the waters are not wet at all. It doesn’t feel like you’re swimming at all. No, you’re flying. And that isn’t waves or water. It is wind, at 220km p/h and you’re traveling at terminal velocity. In fact, you’re 12 000 feet (4 kms) up in the sky and that is the feeling that skydiving gives you. The calmness of your freefall against the raging of the desert winds and the adrenaline of your own mind is exactly what made Derick Gey van Pittius fall in love with skydiving 26 years ago. It is almost poetic that his first jump was on 14 February 1991 and now after 11 500 jumps, he is still as in love with the sky as he was when he was 16. Derick operates Skydive4Fun in Swakopmund. “Every child dreams of flying, and I get to do it on a daily basis. It gives you a freedom that you can’t explain! Skydiving has been part of my life for as long as I can remember,” he says. We are open on a daily basis, although weather depending! The tandem skydive is when a student skydiver is attached to a tandem instructor. The instructor guides the student through the whole jump from exit through freefall, piloting the canopy, and landing.
We also offer training courses for those interested in skydiving on their own. “While it is very difficult to entrust a stranger with your safety, trained professional or not, 12 000 feet into the air, the world of skydiving has been completely enhanced by technology over the years. With systems that were developed by NASA, called the cybernetic parachute release systems, which allow parachutes to automatically pull once a certain altitude has been reached, skydiving has never been safer. In fact, world renowned award winning German skydiver Olav Zipser says Skydive4Fun has some of the most modern computer systems.
These adventures will challenge you, make you face your fears. After all, isn’t that the point of traveling? Skydiving is a bucket list activity!!! A must do!!! Swakopmund is very dedicated and they’re a great bunch of people,” he tells Us. Derick’s passion is to not only have Namibia compete on an international level at the next world championships, but to make skydiving in Namibia a high sporting destination. Already it is a high tourist destination with about 300 visits from foreigners a month. So next time you are at the coast, don’t just visit the beach and Dune 7, tame the Namib desert and its skies. For more information or bookings, please contact skydive4fun at +264 81 243 6923.
Spending some time in Swakopmund to experience different sky cultures, Zipser says that the scenery of skydiving with the desert and ocean so close to each other has made this one of the most awesome skydiving spots he’s been to. And he has done over 23 000 jumps in a career that has seen him crowned champion, and trained skydivers who became champions many times. “Being up in the sky, you feel like a mini astronaut. It’s like swimming in an ocean of gas and to be able to do this after 31 years and still fall in love with it every day is something I’m very proud of. The skydiving community in
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TOURISM
I was working at as admin for a few months, was going to close down. By then, we had some staff who were going to be out of the job whom I had gotten to know really well. When I took over the place, all 6 of us stayed on,” he says. And tellingly, time invested in mastering the art of service has made Indulge one of the, not so well-hidden secrets of Swakopmund. While indulging in inhouse chef, Am Weinburg’s beef fillet, grilled oryx or any of his chef special, you quickly forget that you are in a homely lodging and have been transported to fullfledged restaurant.
“With seven suites, we wanted to create the atmosphere of a charming, romantic place. A home away from home and somewhere you can let your down and not be stiff,” says owner Oeloff Henning.
Go on - Indulge yourself A piece of cake on your cheat day. A few more minutes in the bath, a week night out with friends. The act of indulging almost oozes of forbidden satisfaction.
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estled cosily a walk away from the Swakopmund’s beach, just far enough to spare you the cold ocean breeze, Indulge Guesthouse has just the right idea. It was revamped from Indongo Guesthouse and successfully relaunched in 2015, to truly live up to its own identity as one of the heartiest places in the coastal town to indulge the senses. Structurally, it is almost as if you have not stepped away from the house at all, as the yellow kisses of the sun ricochet off the yellow homely paint on the walls of Indulge. Aesthetically, world known Cuban artist, Yazil Palino’s paintings have transformed the place into a mini gallery and beautiful art pieces of Himba women,
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trees from the Namib desert and the like greet you as you take your seat. “With seven suites, we wanted to create the atmosphere of a charming, romantic place. A home away from home and somewhere you can let your down and not be stiff,” says owner Oeloff Henning. A member of the production team of Tom Cruise’s The Mummy, which shot near the coastal town last year has indulged, and creating a family experience for anyone who walks through the doors is what has been most important for Oeloff. “I got word that the old Indongo Guesthouse, where
This complete delivery of service was all part of Oeloff’s vision for the place, to turn it into more than just a Guesthouse with a nice view of the beach, but a place where anyone can go to a have an experience. So next time you find yourself on Moses Garoeb street in Swakopmund, do yourself that favour… go on, indulge.
CELEBS 101
Get ready to Disappear. Winky D coming to Namibia Locals have been jamming to Winky D’s Disappear and for the first time on 2 September will get a chance to see live at the African Music and Arts Festival.
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vents Management Director of the hosts, Mindscape, Gordon Jay says that the idea is to unite different tribes, African countries and cultures to one musical extravaganza. “Throughout the ages, music has been a powerful force to bring us together and over the years, we have learned to acknowledge and recognize its pivotal role in nation building, social cohesion and promoting better relations among people of the continent as such the need to use the African Music & Arts Festival as a platform to acknowledge and recognize that music and arts always has been and always will be an important instrument to build a united African continent.” Other acts will also include Sally, Savanah Afros and Dj December, DJ Curtis and others.
WHERE HAVE I BEEN ALL MY LIFE... BOOK NOW Call us from 9am - 6pm Mon - Sun | Tel: +264 811 248 140 | +264 81 243 6923 skydive4fun@outlook.com | Hanger 13 Swakopmund Airport
* Restaurant & Bar * Instructor wrist mounted Or Freefall Photographer Options
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