Transforming positively

Octavia Tsibes
Justicia Shipena

Annaliz Kauapirura is a management accountant at Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR).

She was born and bred in Okamatapati, a village in the Okakarara constituency. She completed her secondary education at Augustineum Secondary School in Windhoek and her tertiary studies at Technikon South Africa.

She did pursue further education at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust), which she did not complete due to life commitments.

Before being employed at NWR, Kauapirura worked at Dunlop Tyres as a stock controller, after which she resigned to accompany her husband to Germany. Her husband was posted there for five years at the Namibia Tourism Board office

In 2003 she started working at NWR at Namutoni Resort in the Etosha National Park as a sales consultant. She then joined the finance department at the head office as an assistant management accountant in 2005. In 2010 she was promoted to the position of management accountant, which she holds to date.

Her duties include keeping track of the company's income and expenses, preparing budgets and budget forecasts and identifying financial trends and opportunities for improvement, while analysing and managing risks.

Kauapirura told Careers that keeping up with the new rules and changes in regulations and accounting standards, and maintaining and living in accordance with the expected professional status of accountants, since accountants are still the most trusted source of advice for the majority of businesses, are some of the challenges she has encountered during her career path so far.

Her typical day at the office starts off with handling enquires from resorts on how they should handle their operations to comply with financial controls and objectives, preparing and analysing financial data as well as consulting system operators to enhance operational efficiencies.

“I have unparalleled experience in what I do, acquired through many years, and I’m loyal and ethical and integral to the company. I have developed an excellent knowledge of the operational system, and subsystems, I and have excellent analytical skills,” she said.

Kauapirura said she is inspired by God and He is the basis for everything good and everything worth imitating. The fact that no one is insignificant in the purpose of God in the world keeps her going.

She encourages youth to pursue a career path or work hard and smart to start their own businesses.

“Only benchmark yourself with the standard of excellence. Don’t lower the standard for success in whatever you do. Never surrender your dreams and ambition because of challenges. Redeem your time effectively,” she said.

Her future plan is to be open to whatever opportunities may arise in the future, such as a management training programme that the company may offer to enhance her management skills. She said she is still eager to learn new things and grow in her profession.