‘I fell in love with nature and never looked back’

After amassing 18 years of experience as an employee at multiple tourism establishments, 36-year-old Emmanuel Karel Kasoma started his own company, Emms Cubango Ecological Camp, which employs 27 people.

Kasoma – well-known as Emms - is a Namibian entrepreneur befitting of the title ‘black excellence’, and shared his love for tourism - and adding value to the sector that rakes in billions for the country yearly – with Namibian Sun.

The friendly and humble business owner, who said he speaks 37 languages, narrated how he abandoned his dream of becoming an engineer to take the tourism route.

“When I was young, I always wanted to become an engineer, but I fell in love with nature and I never looked back. I don’t regret that choice because Emms Cubango Ecological Camp would not have existed,” he said.

He added that his business was established in 2018 after he spent close to two decades as an employee at multiple tourism establishments.

Kasoma – who is the eldest of six children – said he worked for at least 18 lodges since his first job as a field guide at Divava Lodge, which is located in his village.

Vision

On what prompted him to start his own establishment, he said he realised that the income he made from his employers was not justifiable to the experience, qualifications and knowledge he had acquired over the years.

He then decided to use his savings to buy a piece of land along the banks of the Kavango River for his ecological camp.

The entrepreneur said he does not want to only be an employer, but his vision is to train young people on the tourism sector and for them to come up with initiatives like he has done.

“I take pride in having stopped working for others and now being an employer of others, but that is not why I established Emms Cubango.

“My vision is to see many young Namibians tap into this billion-dollar sector.”

Pay up

Kasoma said because he has experienced being undervalued by his previous employers, he made it his mission to ensure that his own employees are amongst the highest paid in the area.

“Some lodges pay their workers a minimum of N$1 500, but the lowest paid employee on my payroll gets at least N$2 500. I take good care of my employees, hence you can see the communication I have with them.

“It’s that of a family because as much as this belongs to me, without them, I am nothing,” he said.

Emms Cubango Ecological Camp was among the exhibitors who made their debut at the 2022 Namibia Tourism Expo in Windhoek, and Kasoma said their participation will continue simply based on the impact it had on his business.

“You saw us at the tourism expo; it was the first time there, when we got back to the camp, about 70% of those who visited our stand came to our camp.

“I can’t wait for this year’s edition. We will be there,” he said.

Unique experience

Powered by solar energy and using water purified by reverse osmosis, Emms Cubango Ecological Camp is a unique establishment.

Located in Bagani village, a few kilometres east of Divundu in the Kavango East Region, it offers a view of the Kavango River and the island across the river both day and night.

Regarding the hippo on the company’s logo, Kasoma said this is because the species is common in the area.

Apart from affordable chalets, tents and camping sites, Emms Cubango Ecological Camp also offers something absolutely priceless - peace and quiet.

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