29 Nov 2017

Entrepreneurship development trainer at Local Enterprise Authority (LEA), Mr Victor Ramaribana says poverty eradication beneficiaries should  possess business management skills to grow and expand their businesses.

Speaking at the recent poverty eradication national expo, Mr Ramaribana said LEA helps small businesses start, grow and expand by offering services such as business advisory, training and mentoring, business plan facilitation, market access facilitation and facilitation of technology.

He highlighted that studies have shown that achievement orientation, opportunity identification, information seeking and analytical ability, perseverance, self-concept and self-confidence were needed in order for a business to be successful.

He urged beneficiaries to keep a record of their daily activities so that they could manage their businesses effectively.

Ms Tebogo Maano, a micro finance manager at Citizen Entrepreneurship Development Agency (CEDA) said through Mabogodinku programme the agency assisted small business owners in groups of five to 10 with P500 to P150 000 depending on the type of business.

She urged those who had benefited from the programme to open bank accounts.

Ms Maano encouraged poverty eradication programme beneficiaries to seek financial assistance from CEDA to expand their businesses as the interest rate charged for loans was only five per cent per annum.

One of the beneficiaries of poverty eradication programme, Ms Lizzy Bale, who is the owner of Nkwae company at Selebi Phikwe said she started her atchar and fruit jam business in 2014 after being funded by Gender Affairs department to the tune of P11 000.

She highlighted that she got positive response from Selebi Phikwe prisons department after donating two boxes of jam, adding that she was now supplying two primary schools with different flavours of jam ranging from mmilo to exotic fruits such as apples and pawpaw.

She said she bought some of the fruits from shops and she also has an orchard of some of the fruits.

Ms Bale has employed three people and also offers training to people who are willing to start a similar business as hers who are funded by gender affairs department. BOPA