More than 20 years at Gondwana Collection
Since starting as a casual worker at the Gondwana Collection more than 20 years ago, Andreas Simon hopes to empower those who came after him.
Iréne-Mari van der Walt
In 1998, Gondwana Collection Namibia welcomed Simon Andreas to their family. Initially, he worked as a casual worker on a building site and now, 23 years later, he is the man in charge of Gondwana Collection’s Kaokoland Collection, which includes the Damara Mopane Lodge, Palmwag Lodge and Camp and Omarunga Epupa-Falls Camp.
Andreas said some of his fondest memories carry the same spirit of travel and wonder as the Gondwana Collection itself.
“Gondwana made it possible for me to go to Germany and we were about 25 colleagues who went on a trip from the south up to Zambezi,” he recalled.
Andreas believes that despite the changing times and the ancient history left behind in the years passed, the Gondwana Collection he loves today is the same Gondwana Collection he came to love more than 20 years ago.
“There is not a big difference. We are still that family that we were 20 years ago,” he said.
He added that the spirit of self-expansion and the opportunities granted to him by the Gondwana Collection have kept his heart in the business.
“I grew in the company since I started and I make the best of very opportunity that came my way.”
However, Andreas is adamant that he is not ready to settle in his life as it is now as he hopes that his years of experience will serve as a beacon of hope and a crutch for the new youth at the Gondwana Collection to lean on. His biggest hope for the future is to empower the young minds and souls at the company.
“I would like to share my knowledge with the junior colleagues and make them grow. You can only be successful if you make others successful,” he said.
In 1998, Gondwana Collection Namibia welcomed Simon Andreas to their family. Initially, he worked as a casual worker on a building site and now, 23 years later, he is the man in charge of Gondwana Collection’s Kaokoland Collection, which includes the Damara Mopane Lodge, Palmwag Lodge and Camp and Omarunga Epupa-Falls Camp.
Andreas said some of his fondest memories carry the same spirit of travel and wonder as the Gondwana Collection itself.
“Gondwana made it possible for me to go to Germany and we were about 25 colleagues who went on a trip from the south up to Zambezi,” he recalled.
Andreas believes that despite the changing times and the ancient history left behind in the years passed, the Gondwana Collection he loves today is the same Gondwana Collection he came to love more than 20 years ago.
“There is not a big difference. We are still that family that we were 20 years ago,” he said.
He added that the spirit of self-expansion and the opportunities granted to him by the Gondwana Collection have kept his heart in the business.
“I grew in the company since I started and I make the best of very opportunity that came my way.”
However, Andreas is adamant that he is not ready to settle in his life as it is now as he hopes that his years of experience will serve as a beacon of hope and a crutch for the new youth at the Gondwana Collection to lean on. His biggest hope for the future is to empower the young minds and souls at the company.
“I would like to share my knowledge with the junior colleagues and make them grow. You can only be successful if you make others successful,” he said.
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