By Katie Murphy | Africa Program Director
On June 13th and 14th, Elephant Energy held a two-day training in Katima Mulilo, Namibia to recruit a new group of traveling sales agents. Sales agents work on a commissioned basis, earning between $1 -$4 profit for each product sold, which is an important source of supplementary income for their households. The flexibility of EE’s sales model means that sales agents are able to run a business while not sacrificing other domestic and income-generating responsibilities.
Potential sales agents were recruited using word of mouth, messages disseminated through local NGOs, and advertisements placed on the radio. After a careful interview process, 18 individuals (14 women and 4 men) from rural villages all over the Caprivi region were selected to attend the training.
The training was a place of learning, sharing, and community. New agents received training in marketing, sales and solar product use and maintenance, and gathered together to discuss marketing plans and to roll-play customer interactions. Sales agents from areas close to one another made plans to combine restocking trips to EE’s shop in Katima Mulilo to cut down on the time and expense of travel.
As Elephant Energy expands into new areas of Namibia, there is huge potential to expand this women-focused sales model to change the lives of thousands of women and drive the adoption of money-saving renewable energy technologies. Elephant Energy remains committed to viewing women not just as customers, but as drivers of the energy revolution in Namibia.
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