By Marx Itamalo /
WHILE every other youth from villages surrounding the border town of Oshikango looks to the trade of smuggled fuel, known as “ngungula,” for the past three years Joseph Simeon and fellow school leaving youths have been making a living using their technological gadgets – cameras.
Unlike many other youths in the country, who awaits government to provide them with jobs, or those who have made ngungula their daily hustle, these entrepreneurs decided to embark on a different entrepreneurial journey, which saw them competing for clients in downtown Oshikango.
Omutumwa caught up with Simeon this week to get first hand insight on their operation as well as to be enlightened on the challenges that these young entrepreneurs go through on a daily basis as they ply their trade.
Born in Oshikango some 20 years back, Simeon said he left school a couple of years ago after failing to make it to tertiary education.
“When I found out that the prospects of entering university or any other institution of high learning were slim, I decided I had to do something to put bread on the table. And that is when I decided I will pursue a career in photography,” he told this publication amid the many prospective clients, most of them from neighbouring Angola.
According to him, starting was not much of a problem to him as he was already accustomed to operating cameras during his high school days.
“At school I used to take photographs and it is where I developed my passion for photography,” he said.
In 2019, he started using his school time camera as he did not have enough funds to acquire a good camera that most fellow photographers were using.
“When I joined the industry I found guys with very expensive Nikon and Canon cameras. That why I told myself I will have to work hard and save money to buy a good camera also,” stressed.
Simeon said it only took him a few months to buy his dream camera and to establish himself as one of the sought after photographers around Oshikango.
He also became a self-taught portrait photographer. Currently, he plies his trade at a shopping mall at Oshikango where he photographs clients and print out their photos from his mini-studio. He has an assistant, who he had taught the trade himself.
“We don’t only take photographs in town. We also get booked for parties such as weddings, confirmations and baptism and many other private events,” he pointed. This coming wedding season, he says, they are fully booked and he plans hiring two other youths to help out.
Like any other business establishments, Simeon also experiences challenges as a young and upcoming business man.
The most serious challenge is when only a few customers turn up on a particular day. This, according to him is very depressing as he has a salary to pay to his colleague and rent to pay every month end.
“A day can pass without a single customer. Which is why, at times you need to go look for customers at different strategic points so that at least you stay in business.”
Another challenge is the high cost of printing paper which he says rob him and fellow photographers.
“There is only one shop here selling photograph printing paper. They know they are the only ones selling that’s why they can adjust prices as they wish? But we don’t have a choice and we have just got to pay,” he added.
Although he declined to reveal his average daily earnings or how much he makes per month, Simeon says what he earns feeds his stomach and leaves him with something to save each month.
He motivates other youths countrywide not to wait for somebody to employ them but to rather find legal and ethical ways of earning a living.
“Discover a talent within you and work on it. You will be surprised,” he quipped.
Healo Nafidi mayor Darius Shaalukeni said the Healo Nafidi Town Council is determined to work with and support entrepreneurs in the town. He said those establishing small viable businesses will not be overlooked.
“We encourage them to approach us and explain their ideas to us. We will definitely listen to them and advise them or even partner up with them if such ideas are in the best interest of our town,” he said.
In the photo: Joseph Simeon.
