This study investigated how mobile phone shops in Windhoek’s East Constituency supported smartphone accessibility for elderly persons, focusing on their potential to bridge digital exclusion in low-income urban settings. Namibia’s elderly population—often marginalized in the digital transformation—faces significant barriers in accessing, affording, and using smartphones. Yet, mobile shops are rarely considered as frontline actors in promoting digital inclusion.

 

Using a qualitative, phenomenological research design, the study drew on in-depth interviews, observation, and document analysis from eight mobile shops. Data collection occurred between 27 August and 13 September 2024. Participants included sales staff and managers with direct experience serving elderly customers. Thematic analysis was used to identify recurring challenges and opportunities in practice.

 

Findings highlighted four critical factors affecting smartphone accessibility: (1) lack of staff training to support elderly users; (2) affordability constraints for pension-dependent clients; (3) interface complexity of smartphones; and (4) insufficient in-store and after-sales support. While some shops offered older, low-cost models or basic digital tutorials, these efforts were inconsistent and lacked systemic integration. The study also revealed that elderly customers often relied on repeated visits to shops for assistance, underscoring the need for more structured, user-friendly support systems.

 

Two key challenges were encountered during the research. First, some initially selected mobile shops were unwilling or unprepared to engage meaningfully with the topic, requiring a shift in participant selection. Second, a two-month delay in ethical clearance from the University of Namibia delayed data collection. In response, interview tools were refined for greater clarity and accessibility.

 

The study concluded that mobile shops represent an untapped opportunity to improve digital practice for elderly populations through frontline, community-based interventions. With the right support—such as age-sensitive staff training, simplified smartphone models, and partnerships for digital literacy outreach—mobile shops can become accessible, informal tech hubs that empower older adults to engage with essential services, communication, and health technologies. This research proposes a shift in how practitioners, policymakers, and developers approach digital inclusion: not solely through high-level infrastructure or app development, but by embedding digital support in everyday environments where elderly individuals already seek assistance. By reframing mobile shops as key actors in the digital care ecosystem, the study offers a practice-based model for improving technological engagement and wellbeing among older adults in resource-constrained urban settings.

Kandina S. O. Mukapuli is a Namibian social work professional and emerging researcher passionate about digital inclusion and elderly empowerment. Currently completing her Honours degree in Social Work at the University of Namibia, Kandina’s work explores how technology intersects with social justice, ageing, and accessibility in low-resource settings.

 

She brings firsthand experience from community-level practice, international research, and cross-cultural engagement—having participated in a transnational exchange at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences and served as a research transcriptionist for a South African-Namibian study on elderly care systems. Her research focuses on elevating local voices and everyday actors—like mobile shop staff—as critical agents in ageing and digital access conversations.

 

With a background in project coordination, multilingual transcription, and community advocacy, Kandina champions digital solutions that serve the underserved. Her commitment is rooted in practice and policy, making her a compelling voice for inclusive ageing strategies in Southern Africa and beyond.