Empowering Namibia's Informal Economy
We advocate for street vendors, market traders and informal SMEs to be recognised as vital partners in Namibia's economic development.
Who We Are
VISET Namibia is a registered, non-partisan, membership-based non-governmental organization (NGO) established in 2018 as a regional chapter dedicated to the empowerment and advancement of informal economy actors across Namibia. Our core mission is to advocate for the meaningful inclusion and active participation of informal actors such as street vendors, market traders, roadside sellers, mobile traders, hawkers, cross-border traders, informal SMEs, and home-based entrepreneurs, as well as casual workers, domestic workers, farm workers and waste pickers — in economic planning, public policy formulation, and legislative processes that directly impact their livelihoods.
To advocate for the meaningful inclusion of informal economy actors in public policy, economic planning and legislative processes that affect their livelihoods.
Policy advocacy & legislative engagement.
Capacity building & training.
Research, documentation & partnerships.
Infrastructure development support
A Namibia where informal economy workers are recognised as key contributors to national development — thriving in dignified, inclusive and supportive environments.
Get InvolvedWe work at the intersection of advocacy, capacity building and research to empower Namibia's informal economy actors.
We engage town councils, municipalities and other national policy entities to ensure by-laws , labour , trade and SME policies recognize informal workers in national development.
We equip informal economy actors with the skills, knowledge and networks to grow from survivalist enterprises to sustainable businesses.
We document the lived realities of informal workers and produce evidence-based research to inform policy and practice.
We provide infrastructure support for improved trading spaces, sanitation, secure storage, access to water that enhance the dignity and growth potential of informal traders and SME’s.
We push for the active participation of informal actors in the decisions that shape their workplaces and livelihoods.
We build alliances with sister organisations, civil society, private sector and government.
From training and mentorship to policy influence, infrustructure support and research, our work creates lasting change.

We have trained over 100 informal traders and SMEs and created additional trading platforms - Tuuthikeni Market, to expand market access and support the growth from small survival-based enterprises into structured, growth-oriented businesses.

We provide urban planning and spatial integration support to ensure informal traders and SME’s are included in city development plans. Additionally, we support market infrastructure upgrades.

We bring voices of informal workers into policy discussions at national and local levels, influencing inclusive by-laws and frameworks that recognize them as key contributors to the economy.

Our research and data-collection initiatives highlight the realities and contributions of Namibia's informal economy, shaping our advocacy and providing insight to policymakers and partners.
At VISET Namibia, we see untapped potential in every informal enterprise. We believe that when entrepreneurs are empowered through strategic support and frameworks, access to the right infrastructure, they can move beyond day-to-day survival and build thriving, sustainable businesses that can also create much needed employment for Namibia's youthful population. By partnering with VISET, you become part of an active transformation journey - one that helps informal economy actors unlock growth, create opportunities, strengthen communities and play a vital role in shaping Namibia's economic future.
A snapshot of the moments where advocacy turned into action.
20–21 May 2019
A two-day workshop convening vendors with disabilities to shape advocacy priorities and push for inclusive market access.
25 July 2023
Launch of the upgraded Ongendambhala Open Market — a milestone for dignified trading infrastructure in Namibia.
4 December 2024
VISET Namibia calls on the City Police and the University of Namibia to implement an expedient solution to the plight of informal traders operating outside the University of Namibia’s Main Campus in Windhoek for the sustainability of livelihoods
Whether you're a policymaker, donor, researcher or fellow informal economy actor — there's a place for you in this movement.