Windhoek - Rarely do the four corners of a prison cell offer the necessary comfort for an inmate to conceptualise a business idea, nurture an entrepreneurial spirit whilst serving time and walk out of prison to build a business empire.
Whilst this reads like fiction, it rings true of Namibian Willem February, a born entrepreneur, who scored a double while serving time for various offenses in a Namibian prison; he discovered a natural tailoring skill and like the Biblical conversion of the notorious Saul into Paul, he also discovered God's salvation.
Today Willem is a proud owner of one of Windhoek's biggest upholstery operations.
For a man whose youth activities were the antithesis of Moses' very Ten Commandments, now he hardly finishes a sentence without praising God.
February, who owns February Upholstery, says that his business success is a miracle from God.
For somebody who arrived from Namibia's northern parts in 1976, hardly able to speak more than two syllables of either English or Afrikaans, starting a business from scratch was truly a miracle.
February picked up tailoring skills while serving a two-and-half year prison sentence. "I met the Lord in prison, that is when I was taught to work with my own hands to feed myself. It was in prison that I also learnt to speak and write Afrikaans and English," February said.
He said that he started tailoring in prison making uniforms for fellow inmates and because of his newly found religion, the bible became his closest companion.
"Prison was for me like a school."
Eager to immediately transform his newly discovered skills into instant wealth, February approached local commercial banks for loans but they flatly turned him down.
The breakthrough came when a mere client was so impressed with February - now working at a backyard industry at home in Katutura - that he offered him a small workshop at Eros Airport.
February said without this help it would have taken him long to grow his business.
"We must have a spirit of helping each other...It's very difficult when you want to begin something and there is nobody to show you the way," February said reminiscing of the days he started his business.
Moving to new premises meant a new profile for the enterprising February and with a spirit of never giving up, he was able to take on more clients.
His company can handle any type of upholstery work ranging from household furniture such as sofas, office furniture, any class of vehicles and upholstery work on small aeroplanes.
Some of the most paying contracts are those on upholstery of small planes.
The business has grown and February Upholstery employs 14 young people.
Plans are in the pipeline to open another upholstery shop in the booming border town of Oshikango.
February said apart from training his company's young employees in the art of upholstery, he also dedicates his time to charity, assisting the underprivileged.
A devoted Christian February gets his inspiration from the Bible and church. "Church is where you get quite a lot of encouragement and learn to go for your dreams. Most people are afraid of taking chances, but when you go to church they give you the encouragement and you feel nothing can stand in your way," he said.
