22 Jul 2018

Batswana youth have been encouraged to be daring, cutting edge entrepreneurs in order to contribute to the national developmental agenda and assist in addressing the myriad of challenges that beset their generation.

Speaking during the official opening of the 2018 Project124 Entrepreneurship Development Programme in Gaborone on July 21, Launchit Coaching International founder and managing director, Mr Goitsemang Khutsafalo said having a business-minded Batswana youth could help change their current circumstance.

He said he has a mentor who often says, ‘the champions of today are the amateurs of yesterday.’  

“Indeed, if we are to find to solutions to the problems we face; where about 20 percent of the youth are unemployed, where we have youth depression owing to some failing to match others’ opulent lifestyles displayed on social media, if we are to tackle global warming, we need to be innovative,” Mr Khutsafalo said.

He added that the Project124 mentorship, held under the theme, Transforming Botswana’s Market Economy Through Inclusive Innovation, was formulated to assist entrepreneurs and aspiring business people including graduates to create innovative and sustainable business ventures within a three-year period.

The programme includes professional training, benchmarking, experiential learning, mentorship as well as funding and investment opportunities for participants.  

The 2018 programme targets entrepreneurs from around the country and will cover Gaborone, Jwaneng, Palapye, Serowe, Mahalapye, Selibe Phikwe and Francistown, and each town will get 124 hours of mentorship and coaching.

He further said that the current generation should take advantage of existing opportunities on the internet and social media, which allowed companies to establish themselves globally without having a physical presence outside their base countries.

Meanwhile, Hollard Botswana head of distribution,Ms Reason Nyamambi also encouraged entrepreneurs to take a leap of faith and have belief in pursuing their dreams, and also encouraged the youth to take insurance seriously.

“We currently live in a world that is volatile, and some of the things considered valuable now now may be considered outdated within a short space of time. Insurance is often overlooked by young entrepreneurs; it is seen as a farfetched concept belonging to elites and the elderly. But entrepreneurs should include insurance as part of their planning, protect themselves from the volatile world.  Insurance gives protection to businesses, and at an individual level, it gives dignity to families,” Ms Nyamambi said.

At the event, corporate leaders from different sectors engaged in  panel discussions on topics such as innovation, entrepreneurship and technology in order to inspire participants. ENDS