12 May 2016

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mr Thapelo Olopeng says the Youth Business Expo is a platform to accord young entrepreneurs a chance to showcase their products and services.

Speaking during  the Youth Expo media brief, Mr Olopeng said the Expo billed for May 24 to 29 will feature exhibitions and seminars over a period of a week at the Fairgrounds in Gaborone.

The Expo, he said is targeting youth in business, successful youth businesses and those that are serious about those that are self-financed or those funded under the YDF, CEDA, NDB, Kick-Start and other financial providers.

Mr Olopeng noted that they are looking to help young people to access markets and expose youth entrepreneurs to new business trends adding that it is all about unleashing the youth business potential.

He also said  this would be an opportunity for young people in business to share ideas. Experiences and network among themselves as much as they will do with established businesses at the same time exposing youth to a wider business funding steams and opportunities for expansion.

“We will have Government departments and Parastatals, Private Sector especially businesses with high volumes of local procurement and those with potential to produce locally present at the Expo,” he said.

He highlighted that while feedback will be provided accordingly, his Ministry is in the process of screening and decision making to select those who are eligible to attend the Expo as this will help MYSC to attain its objective of developing youth entrepreneurs and accelerating job creation.

Mr Olopeng said Batswana youth have a huge potential and are creative but on the other hand, they face challenges in accessing markets adding that a large number of them have not developed business networks that are necessary for them to penetrate markets.

“Limited market access leads to business not breaking even or outright collapsing bringing into question the sustainability of youth owned enterprises,” he said.

At the same briefing, Minister Olopeng had the opportunity to unveil the new Youth Business Expo Logo where he said the bright colours of the logo resembles the youth vibrancy while the coil represents the beginning and continuous strive for youth business successes.

He said the eye in the middle of the logo represents the vision of young business people and the brown colour represents that earth and its nurturing nature for the success of youth business. ENDS