Knight in shining armour makes SA home

When 32-year-old Namibia-based entrepreneur David Akinin and his family were invited to dinner at the home of Spanish Ambassador Javier Romera, he thought he was there just for a meal. Instead, the ambassador presented him with Spain’s version of knighthood – the Knight’s Cross of the Order of the Civil Merit. It’s conferred by his majesty, King Felipe VI of Spain, and rewards Spanish citizens and foreigners who have had an extraordinary impact on the world.

What’s more, Akinin will soon be living in South Africa. “I’ve just got a place in Johannesburg, and we have expanded [new tech start-up] Jabu to South Africa. I’m excited about making South Africa our home and betting on this incredible country. Jabu will expand all over the region.”

So how did a Venezuelan-born Jew land up settling in Namibia and receiving an award from Spain? “My father was born in Madrid, so my brothers and I became Spanish citizens when we were kids. My mother was born in Tetuán, Morocco, and my grandparents grew up in Spanish Morocco.”

His parents met in Latin America after most Jews emigrated there from Morocco in the 1960s. He grew up in Caracas, and when he was 11 years old, he and his brothers were briefly kidnapped. This was a turning point, and “our parents soon left everything behind and looked for new beginnings in America, just as their parents did 50 years earlier”.

Akinin finished high school in the United States, graduated from the University of Chicago, and worked at Google and Credit Suisse. He then settled in Namibia, where he has been making an impact ever since.

“My first business was in the construction sector. Atenu Developments builds affordable housing, schools, and industrial, commercial, and healthcare infrastructure,” he says. “My brother and business partner, Samuel, leads this operation, and has an incredible vision for its continued impact around Southern Africa. Samuel also runs FundRoof – a fintech start-up that digitises the mortgage application process.”

Akinin focuses 100% of his time on Jabu Logistics, “an e-commerce start-up that helps thousands of small retailers, spaza shops, and restaurants order products. Born out of a need we saw in the pandemic, the company has now scaled up to six cities in Namibia, and has operations in Lusaka and Johannesburg. We employ more than 400 people.”

“Our business ethos is centred on doing well by doing good,” Akinin says. “Everything is focused on creating employment to solve social issues. Whether it’s a clinic in a Himba village, an ECD (early childhood development) centre, or supply chains for spaza shops, we believe the touch points along the way give room for social upliftment.

“At Jabu, we’ve partnered with several nongovernmental organisations. Last year, a fire destroyed some customers’ shops and we rebuilt them at our cost and gave them initial stock. We think of ourselves as their partners – so we’re going to be there in good and bad.”

More recently, they started getting involved in sport. “We’re sponsoring a soccer league in the townships with more than 500 players. Along with events and food, we have sponsored uniforms and are looking to improve their field.”

On the construction front, “We have never taken one government contract to build housing, schools, or clinics. We source funding from non-profit organisations. Foundations run by Jewish families have been incredibly important in this journey.”

Every time they have a housing project, “we commit to up-skilling directly and indirectly (with scholarships) hundreds of people to become qualified in bricklaying, plumbing, electricity, and other vocational roles,” he says. “We take action – donating piping, hosting classes on entrepreneurship, investing in the local contractors’ tools, and supporting the businesses that encircle us.”

Akinin emphasises that he hasn’t done it alone. “We’re four brothers – Samuel and Arie work with me in Namibia, and Abraham lives with his wife and kids in San Francisco. Samuel joined me in Namibia a few years after I arrived. We wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for him. He has a magical touch with people and is incredibly committed.”

Their father, Ysaac, “works with us remotely and more recently in Namibia, running business development and launching amazing initiatives”. Their mother, Reina, lives in Miami. “She doesn’t know it, but she’s my advisor,” says Akinin. “I call her every day (she thinks to check in), but really because I get clarity around so much just talking to her.”

Finally, “Judaism comes with a toolkit full of values centred on family, tikkun olam (healing the world), and ethics, and our parents did a fine job in passing that through.”

Regarding the award, “I understand that the Spanish embassy in Namibia championed it and submitted lots of documents to make it happen,” says Akinin. “I was never told about any of it! When we were having coffee, the ambassador presented it and gave a speech. I then gave a speech – completely shocked – and he put the medal on my jacket and gave me the diploma. It was emotional for the ambassador as well because he gave something on behalf of the king which he championed.”

Writing on Facebook at the time, Akinin said, “As a Spanish, Sephardic Jew, I carry this incredible honour with great pride in recognition of the work we’re committed to doing in shaping the world of tomorrow.”

Asked if he ever imagined being where he is today, he says, “Yes, but many people thought I was crazy for having this vision. I have always been a big dreamer, and I stay up thinking about the ways we can impact people, scale faster, and learn often.”

He says the South African Jewish community has played an important role. “South Africa has provided us with synagogues and kosher food wherever we’ve gone, and most importantly, a community.”

Cape Town community doyenne Myra Osrin is a close friend and inspiration, and “Howie Sackstein has been our number-one ambassador, making introductions that have opened doors. For example, we raised funding from Shaun Hurwitz and Ronen Zekry at Buffet to build the first housing development in the town of Ruacana, Namibia. That project not only saved our company and brought a real economy to that town, it won the Best Affordable Housing Project in Africa last year.

“Recently, Solly Kramer from Norman Goodfellows (another Howie introduction), has opened his arms and mentorship as we set up Jabu in South Africa, but also felt like family as we broke bread, attended shul, and had Shabbat together.”

To the South African Jewish community, he says, “Thank you to all who have welcomed my brothers and me to your country. Never take for granted the institutions you have built, the values that define you, and the people that preceded you. We’re inspired every day by who you are.”