Staff Reporter
THE One Economy Foundation has experienced a reduction in funding, leading to a 25% decrease in its operating budget, staff reductions, and the cancellation of some advocacy-focused events.
This was announced by the foundation’s Executive Director, Pauline Thomas Kahupi, who explained that this is a result of a recent funding reduction by one of the top five donors to the One Economy Foundation. She added that this reflects the global reduction in donor funding to non-profits rather than anything specific to the One Economy Foundation.
“The donor who has reduced their funding has done so in a responsible manner and has ensured that the core programmes they funded, and their beneficiaries, remain unaffected. This is an indication of the trust they have in One Economy Foundation, for which we are grateful,” Kahupi explained.
She explained that, in order to safeguard core community services, the organisation was required to make difficult decisions, including scaling down its workforce from 37 permanent staff members to 25.
“Losing colleagues is hard, and we don’t minimise that. We informed affected staff as soon as practically possible and gave everyone the option of a three-month exit period rather than an abrupt departure. We are providing psychosocial support, financial wellbeing assistance, career transition services, as well as flexible working hours. Affected employees will also be regarded as internal and will receive preferential consideration for future opportunities within the organisation. The decision to restructure roles is not a reflection of the performance or commitment of the affected individuals and is based solely on financial realities,” Kahupi said.
Kahupi further stated that the foundation remains committed to delivering integrated services for young people, including skills development, entrepreneurship support, sexual and reproductive health services and awareness, mental health care through clinical psychologists and social workers, STEM education, and after-school programmes. However, she confirmed that some events will be scaled back and expansion into new communities will be delayed.
“While we are fortunate to be dealing with this from a position of stability rather than crisis, some activities will inevitably change. Some advocacy-focused events have been cut, and expansion into new communities may take longer than planned. However, One Economy Foundation’s goal is to protect frontline services, including regular outreach with our mobile vans, and ensuring that the young people who rely on the One Economy Foundation continue receiving the support they need,” Kahupi continued.
She acknowledged that funding constraints are likely to reduce the number of new beneficiaries the foundation can reach, although she stressed that service quality will remain unchanged.
“We believe in what we do. So do our donors. We regard this as temporary, and we remain committed to maintaining essential programmes while actively working to secure additional funding that will expand the reach,” Kahupi said.
She highlighted that the foundation is pursuing new donor partnerships and strengthening existing relationships. She also revealed that the foundation is expanding revenue-generating initiatives to support the delivery of the One Economy Foundation’s mission. This includes renting out the #BeFree Campus multipurpose hall, industrial kitchen, boardroom, and office spaces.
“We are also excited to announce that tickets are now on sale for the One Economy Foundation Annual Fundraising Gala Dinner, which will take place on 1 October 2026. The annual fundraiser is an important part of One Economy Foundation’s sustainability efforts and contributes to increasing the unrestricted funding needed to continue creating opportunities for young people across Namibia. We therefore extend a warm invitation to all individuals, businesses, and partners to attend or to provide support in any way that they may deem fit in contributing to the organisation’s mission,” Kahupi said.
She also noted that the Foundation’s 5% shareholding in Bannerman Energy Ltd is expected to contribute some dividend income from around 2031, subject to the company’s performance. She emphasised that this is not intended as a replacement for donor funding, but as an additional source of income that strengthens long-term financial resilience.
“Throughout this process, we remain committed to being open and transparent with all employees, donors, partners, and stakeholders. The same way we handled this internally: immediately and directly. Affected staff were informed as soon as the decision was made. We apply that standard to our donors and stakeholders by sharing what has happened, what is affected, what is not, and what we’re doing about it. Although the funding landscape has changed, our purpose has not. One Economy Foundation remains committed to creating opportunities, improving wellbeing, and helping young people build better futures. We are confident that through strong partnerships, innovation, and community support, the organisation will continue delivering meaningful impact for years to come,” Kahupi added.
Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: One Economy Foundation
