21 Nov 2014

The Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) has decided to bring their services to residents of Maitengwe and Tutume through its outreach programme.

LEA provides services such as over the counter interventions, training and mentoring, business plan facilitation, market access facilitation, product and process certification and incubation programme whereby they nurture a business in a controlled and protected environment. 

Speaking in an interview during the outreach programme, the business advisor, Mr Gaolaolwe Phologolo from Masunga LEA office said that some people are afraid to visit their offices to ask for advice. He said they saw it fit to reach out to people in those two villages in order to provide them with business advice.

Mr Phologolo explained that LEA is mandated to implement policies and programmes for the promotion and development of SMMEs in Botswana through targeted interventions in pursuit of economic diversification.

He noted that they do a one to one discussion with clients to give out business advice, provide business development kit and provide templates for business plan preparations.

Furthermore, he also said that they encourage those who want to start their own businesses to enroll for training about sales and marketing, business planning, records keeping and entrepreneurship development. He said these trainings assist entrepreneurs to make informed decisions about which business to start.

Mr Phologolo said that LEA has 13 branches and four incubators across the country and people can just visit any of the branches near them to get advice. He said that in the past, they did not provide assistance in all businesses but since April 2014, they opened for all businesses.

He said in Maitengwe, the attendance was a bit low due to rain but he was happy that most of the people who came were young people whom he encouraged to be entrepreneurs.
Mr Phologolo said that people should know that LEA does not provide financial services to SMMEs, but facilitates access to finance.  ENDS