For International Women’s Day 2025, we interviewed Cecilia Paulus, a woman with albinism from Namibia with an inspiring entrepreneurial journey.
Africa Albinism Network (AAN): To begin, what business did you start, and what motivated you to start your own business?
Cecilia: For as long as I can remember, I’ve had an entrepreneurial spirit. I sold candy when I was little. Today, my salary alone is not enough; it can’t cover all my expenses, even if they are small. So, for a while now, I’ve been selling oil-based perfumes, homemade hair oils, and secondhand clothes. I am selling these from my car boot. I also work for Table Charm Direct, a South African company, and I earn a commission from the sales I make.
AAN: You were a participant at the Africa Albinism Network’s Women’s Learning Forum in 2024, how did that experience shape your journey as a businesswoman? What skills did you gain at the Forum?
Cecilia: I was inspired by Miranda Naiman, she is an entrepreneur and said she started in a room and borrowed a laptop from a friend. She didn’t take out any loans and started with the little that she had. Today, her business has grown so much. I learned from her that when you are an entrepreneur, you need to always stay in the light and feed the family. I use the little that I get as profit to pay for my child’s school fees and feed my family.
I learned valuable skills during the Forum such as communication skills, negotiation skills, and financial management skills. When you do business, you need to save for risks. I used to take the money meant for profit to buy stock again and use it up, but I’ve stopped doing that now.
AAN: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when starting your business, and how did you overcome them?
Cecilia: In the beginning, when I was starting, I had financial challenges, because of the lack of start-up capital. Also, I didn’t know who my target market was. I also noticed that competitors started selling the same thing and that made me lose out on sales. However, I overcame these challenges by encouraging my clients (family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors) to advertise my products on their WhatsApp status and referrals. It was constant ads; I used to do it myself. Most of my customers are in my contact lists.
AAN: What is a big lesson you have learned along the way as you navigate this new journey?
Cecilia: Take the criticism. It helped me to grow even if they were negative and turned them into positives. Customers are always right, you don’t need to argue with them.
AAN: This year’s International Women’s Day theme is Accelerate Action. It emphasizes the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality. From your perspective, what are some of the barriers you have faced and that women with albinism face in entrepreneurship, and how do you handle misconceptions or biases related to albinism in your personal and/or professional interactions?
Cecilia: Women with albinism face discrimination in the entrepreneurship space, and it affects our mental health. Some people don’t want to buy from you if they think albinism is contagious, and you get clients who, when they are buying from you, don’t want to pay you because of how you look. They will insult you, but it shouldn’t stop you from doing what you love.
My mental health is very important. Being unhappy because of what people say to you is a choice. They say those things because they don’t know and they lack education, so I educate them.
I am human, I am someone’s sister, mother, and daughter. The only thing I lack is pigment, melanin, but I also look like you.
Cecilia: The other day I went to the doctor. I left my glasses at home and when I sat down before I started the consultation he asked, “Are you sure you can see me?” Then, he proceeded to ask me how many fingers I had, and said “Are you sure? because I thought you couldn’t see?” I told him, I was not blind; I have low vision. Sometimes you need to educate them. It’s not easy.
I still love my albinism, and I believe that I am wonderfully made and unique. As unique as I am, I face unique challenges every day. It’s not easy.
AAN: How do you balance professional roles and personal?
Cecilia: Sometimes you can’t really say you balance it. I want to put bread on the table. Kids need to do homework; the house needs cleaning up. I hardly have time for myself. If my business can grow and I can employ people, then it will be great. I remember at the Forum when I.K [Ero] said if you don’t keep up with the standards you will be left behind. I hope AAN can do those Forums again to support other women with albinism.
AAN: How do you think more women with albinism can be supported to enter and succeed in entrepreneurship?
Cecilia: Women with albinism need to be supported to access finances and start-up capital. I was fortunate because I had a salary, but people with albinism don’t work, they don’t receive any grants, and they need assistance. There is a need for training in business. People become entrepreneurs because they are motivated by someone else who talks about their business experience.
AAN: What advice would you give to young women with albinism who are dreaming of starting their own business but feel uncertain about taking the first step?
Cecilia:
- Start even if you must start small.
- Identify your target market. You must be prepared to confront challenges.
- Prioritize your customers.
- Focus on something that you love, something you are passionate about.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
AAN: What are your goals for the future, and how do you hope to continue growing your business and empowering others?
Cecilia: My goal is to become a successful entrepreneur. I want to be seen on TV, I want people to read about me in magazines. Right now, I am buying perfumes, but I want to manufacture my brands. I want to go into Real Estate and build a block of flats to rent out. I already have land. I want to have a boutique so I can sell my perfumes and not out of the boot of a car.
AAN: Thank you for sharing your story with us today. Your journey is truly inspiring, and we are excited to see you thrive as an entrepreneur.
Cecilia Paulus is an entrepreneur and a civil servant for the Government of the Republic of Namibia. She lives in Mariental, Namibia with her two sons.
