The Spitzkoppe community is utilising the tourism potential of the Spitzkoppe Mountains near Usakos to earn an income. A community-based enterprise was developed since 1995 and is well equipped with the basic facilities required by visitors. The development of the local craft industry has been identified as such an opportunity. The Spitzkoppe Craft Centre was opened recently.

In 2001, Nedbank Namibia’s Social Investment Fund assisted the community financially to establish a local crafts industry. Unfortunately, it did not perform as anticipated.

But Nedbank’s Social Investment Fund committee agreed to financially support another capacity building programme in partnership with NACOBTA and the USAID funded SME programme. The programme concentrated on skills enhancement of the Spitzkoppe commu-nity in craft production, promotion, and marketing their crafts.

Nedbank established its Social Investment Fund about 10 years ago, investing over N$4,7 million, touching the lives of almost 9 000 Namibians directly and many thousands more indirectly through empowerment loans, grants and bursaries.