28 May 2018

Mascom Wireless Botswana this past week handed over 11 Kitsong centres to young entrepreneurs, bringing to 110 operational Kitsong centres  in 110 villages across Botswana.

Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Kitso Mokaila said since 2009 when Mascom Wireless entered into a Private Public Partnership (PPP) with the then Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, it has made considerable strides.

Officiating at the 2018 Mascom Kitsong Centres award ceremony, Minister Mokaila said the partnership, which aimed at rolling out communication services to 41 rural communities, under the Rural Telecommunications Development Programme, resulted with a Kitsong Centre component.

As a result, he said, the country witnessed yet another historical moment, which saw 11 entrepreneurs being awarded Kitsong centres to operate.

Mr Mokaila said when President Mokgweetsi Masisi made his inauguration speech; he spoke of ICT being one of his priority areas.

He noted that this past week, President Masisi along with his Cabinet approved the issue of sharing all government infrastructure.

“The actual directive says in the shortest possible time, infrastructure at Water Utilities Corporation, Botswana Power Corporation and Department of Broadcasting Services shall be moved to Botswana government works to ensure that we rationalise and diversify the economy,” he said.

He said ‘this marks a clear message from President Masisi and his intention to put ICT at the top of his agenda.’

“Infrastructure has been a barrier to business, innovation has been curbed by the cost of infrastructure and therefore we see this as an opportunity for companies like Mascom to prosper,” said Mr Mokaila.

Government intention, he noted was to ensure that people get jobs through ICT, diversifying the economy and creating Batswana millionaires from ICT.

On Mascom Kitsong centres, Minister Mokaila said this was a noble initiative, with great potential to bridge the rural/urban digital divide, and ultimately transform the economy of the country.

“Please allow me to applaud Mascom for realising the potential and impact this project has, in transforming the lives of the youth around Botswana, especially in the rural areas,” he said.

The winners of the 2018 Mascom Kitsong centres are Bakang Mahusi (Charles Hill), Queen Jeremiah (Mmathethe), Baboloki Tautsagae (Gootau), Boitshoko Dira (Good Hope), Onkabetse Gaboitsewe (Machaneng), Boipelo Sata (Maunatlala), Ntebogang Ramabudi (Mogapi), Baratang Malala (Ratholo), Gaone Tsheko (Shoshong), Goitsemodimo Kebalemoge (Paje) and Phomolo Mosa (Rasesa).

Ten winners are women and one is a man.

For her part, Ms Lilly Sullivan, chief information officer at Mascom Wireless Botswana said Kitsong centers were at the core of their social investment programme.

The centres are Mascom’s response to the need to transform small villages into knowledge based economies, she added.

The ICT equipment and services Mascom provides at the centres makes it possible for communities to have access to email and Internet, to receive computer training, to use mobile money services as well as to buy SIM cards and airtime, ‘thus providing an enabling environment for the community to gather information, create, learn, and communicate with others while they develop essential digital skills’.

She noted that through the programme, Mascom had found enterprising young minds in some villages.

She shared that Mmadinare had introduced online company registration while in Makopong the Kitsong Centre served as the main registration point for cattle registration system and it registered at least 150 cattle a month.

In Kuke the primary school pupils enjoy free computer lessons at the centre. ENDS