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Commercial Prospects for Donor-Funded Namibian Nongovernmental Organizations

Namibia’s nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), including those providing vital HIV and AIDS services, face a sharp reduction in external donor funding due to the country’s recent reclassification as an upper middle-income country. This decline may prompt NGOs to seek out alternative revenue streams to maintain health gains achieved over the past decade, and Namibia’s growing for-profit private sector is a potential source of such revenue. The United States Agency for International Development, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Social Services, asked the SHOPS project to explore commercialization prospects for Namibian NGOs. The SHOPS team interviewed more than 50 stakeholders to gain a better understanding of corporate demand for health and wellness services in Namibia, explored the current supply of health services provided by NGOs, and identified potential opportunities for NGOs to deliver commercial health services to Namibian firms and their employees. This report presents commercial opportunities for donor-funded Namibian NGOs, and reflects on the possibilities and limitations of commercialization as a strategy to promote the sustainability of NGOs.