Giving back is key
An entrepreneur talks to The Zone about his journey and struggles as a businessman sharing his ambitions and future plans and shedding some light on some of his passionate endeavours.
Petrus Hatupopi is a youthful entrepreneur and capitalist who wants to change the world one business idea at a time. The businessman did not have the easiest of upbringings and says that is part of the reason why he has always been able to think on his feet and to do his utmost best to achieve success.
The last-born of 12 siblings hails from the Ohangwena Region. He completed his secondary schooling at Haimbili Haufiku Senior Secondary School and says he came from a very pitiable background. “My father passed away in 1996 when I was five and I was raised by a single mother who depended on traditional work to make a living. I come from a very poor background,” said Hatupopi.
After completing his high school education in 2008 he had to move to Windhoek in order to start his tertiary education. He says that during that period in his life tragedy struck again in 2009 when he lost his mother and he had to rely on his own to make ends meet. “I came in Windhoek and I was staying with a few family members. Life was very difficult but I luckily got a loan from NSFAF to finance my studies. Even with the little that I had I still struggled with taxi money and a few other things,” shared Hatupopi.
He says in order to gain experience and to keep himself busy he volunteered at Red Cross Namibia and cherishes the time he spent at the organisation because he became a formidable character because of his job there. “I worked at the Red Cross for one year on a programme of agriculture and drought recovery. Unfortunately the programme ended abruptly in 2009 but the experience was amazing,” recalled Hatupopi. He enrolled at the International University of Management (IUM) in 2009 as an information communications student (IT) but dropped out after three months of studying at the university. “I dropped out of IT school at IUM because it wasn't working for me but I also decided to enrol myself at Polytech to study another IT programme known as CISCO in 2010. I am a certified IT technician,” said Hatupopi.
He was seeking to broaden his learning background and went to study graphic design in 2011 in South Africa. “I actually knew what I've always wanted to do and went to study at a college where I got my certificate. I gained a lot of skills while I was in South Africa. I could use Photoshop and create things on my own,” said Hatupopi. Soon after he came from South Africa he registered his own company called Penahana Investments CC. Through his company he bought equipment for his printing and embroidery business. “I did not have enough equipment. I literally had nothing… I only had one heat pressing machine for printing. I got my first tender from Windhoek's vocational training centre. I had to do projects for a few signs and ever since then, the money I got from those projects I bought more equipment,” relays Hatupopi.
He has been in the print business for four years now and says he still struggles because he does not have enough equipment to perform at optimum levels. “Sometimes I get big tenders and I don't have big machines. I have all the necessary machines such as the embroidery and printing machines but for some jobs I divide my profit with people who can help me because they have machines I don't have,” said Hatupopi. He says he is an avid political activist in the Khomasdal constituency. “I was active in community meetings and community projects where I come from and in 2015 I was appointed in the constituency development committee of Khomadal,” said Hatupopi.
The entrepreneur has embarked on an ambitious campaign and wants to donate 100 000 sanitary pads to 50 schools around Namibia. “I am not really a rich person but I want to help people in my communities and one way I can do that is to make sure I assist girls in rural areas with sanitary pads because most of them are dropping out of school due to their periods. You do not have to be a millionaire to help out other people,” said Hatupopi. He says he is huge on giving back and says more entrepreneurs should do it. “I usually sponsor many events. I help people whenever I can. I've been donating uniforms to my previous high school and even sponsor their annual beauty pageants. It's the small things that matter to me. More of us entrepreneurs need to give back to our communities,” shared Hatupopi.
Not one to limit himself to only one title, the entrepreneur says he plans on studying in Russia in the future as a medical doctor. “My ultimate dream is to become a medical doctor. I am going to study in Russia. My passion is in medicine. I want to study in Russia but I need someone to take care of all my other projects before I do that,” shared Hatupopi.
SHONA NGAVA
The last-born of 12 siblings hails from the Ohangwena Region. He completed his secondary schooling at Haimbili Haufiku Senior Secondary School and says he came from a very pitiable background. “My father passed away in 1996 when I was five and I was raised by a single mother who depended on traditional work to make a living. I come from a very poor background,” said Hatupopi.
After completing his high school education in 2008 he had to move to Windhoek in order to start his tertiary education. He says that during that period in his life tragedy struck again in 2009 when he lost his mother and he had to rely on his own to make ends meet. “I came in Windhoek and I was staying with a few family members. Life was very difficult but I luckily got a loan from NSFAF to finance my studies. Even with the little that I had I still struggled with taxi money and a few other things,” shared Hatupopi.
He says in order to gain experience and to keep himself busy he volunteered at Red Cross Namibia and cherishes the time he spent at the organisation because he became a formidable character because of his job there. “I worked at the Red Cross for one year on a programme of agriculture and drought recovery. Unfortunately the programme ended abruptly in 2009 but the experience was amazing,” recalled Hatupopi. He enrolled at the International University of Management (IUM) in 2009 as an information communications student (IT) but dropped out after three months of studying at the university. “I dropped out of IT school at IUM because it wasn't working for me but I also decided to enrol myself at Polytech to study another IT programme known as CISCO in 2010. I am a certified IT technician,” said Hatupopi.
He was seeking to broaden his learning background and went to study graphic design in 2011 in South Africa. “I actually knew what I've always wanted to do and went to study at a college where I got my certificate. I gained a lot of skills while I was in South Africa. I could use Photoshop and create things on my own,” said Hatupopi. Soon after he came from South Africa he registered his own company called Penahana Investments CC. Through his company he bought equipment for his printing and embroidery business. “I did not have enough equipment. I literally had nothing… I only had one heat pressing machine for printing. I got my first tender from Windhoek's vocational training centre. I had to do projects for a few signs and ever since then, the money I got from those projects I bought more equipment,” relays Hatupopi.
He has been in the print business for four years now and says he still struggles because he does not have enough equipment to perform at optimum levels. “Sometimes I get big tenders and I don't have big machines. I have all the necessary machines such as the embroidery and printing machines but for some jobs I divide my profit with people who can help me because they have machines I don't have,” said Hatupopi. He says he is an avid political activist in the Khomasdal constituency. “I was active in community meetings and community projects where I come from and in 2015 I was appointed in the constituency development committee of Khomadal,” said Hatupopi.
The entrepreneur has embarked on an ambitious campaign and wants to donate 100 000 sanitary pads to 50 schools around Namibia. “I am not really a rich person but I want to help people in my communities and one way I can do that is to make sure I assist girls in rural areas with sanitary pads because most of them are dropping out of school due to their periods. You do not have to be a millionaire to help out other people,” said Hatupopi. He says he is huge on giving back and says more entrepreneurs should do it. “I usually sponsor many events. I help people whenever I can. I've been donating uniforms to my previous high school and even sponsor their annual beauty pageants. It's the small things that matter to me. More of us entrepreneurs need to give back to our communities,” shared Hatupopi.
Not one to limit himself to only one title, the entrepreneur says he plans on studying in Russia in the future as a medical doctor. “My ultimate dream is to become a medical doctor. I am going to study in Russia. My passion is in medicine. I want to study in Russia but I need someone to take care of all my other projects before I do that,” shared Hatupopi.
SHONA NGAVA
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