18 Jun 2014

Junior Achievement Botswana (JAB) recently hosted a sub-regional best business expo for junior and senior secondary schools in the Tutume, Tonota and North-East region at McConnell College.

Speaking at the event, JAB programme manager, Mr Tiboke Mhlambi, said the organisation dealt with entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy programmes through which it empowered young Batswana to succeed in the world of work.

He said JAB targeted students in junior and senior schools both in rural and urban areas, adding that they intended to open up the programme to primary students in the near future.

“The business expo is where achievers come together to showcase what they have learnt from the JAB programme through presentation of business plans, company reports, stall exhibitions and oral presentations,” he said.

He added that the students’ companies competed in seven themes, namely environment, wildlife and tourism, consultancy services, design, technology and infrastructure, arts and culture, manufacturing, agribusiness as well as wellness and recreation.

About 151 companies took part in the competition and 42 were chosen to proceed to the next level which will be held in Francistown around July.

Mr Mhlambi said companies were awarded marks looking at their business plans, trade stall displays and interviews at the stall, oral presentation and how they answered questions asked by the judges about the company, its reports and display.

He said that they have observed a lot of improvement as more companies continue to register each year while more schools now participate in the business expo. He added that some students come to register companies with JAB after completing their studies.

“Teachers have also observed that these expos help students to improve their academic results at school,” he said.

One of the top companies that were selected to proceed to the regionals, The Lucky Stars from Selolwe Hill CJSS in Francistown, said their company produces colorful mats from recycled sacks, old clothes and colored wool.

The company’s managing director, Tefo Matenge, said the company was founded in 2012, has 15 employees and aims to be a leading supplier of reasonable priced carpets, wall hangings and bathroom mats. ENDS