09 Dec 2019

Acting Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Karabo Gare, is optimistic that Thamaga Youth Business Summit will change mindsets and develop young people into successful entrepreneurs.

Making a keynote address at the second Thamaga youth summit organised by Evangelical fellowship of Botswana (EFB), he said such fora could be used to engage relevant groups for benchmarking purposes.

“Let us seriously take advantage of such forums as they have potential to transform, develop and shape our future through information acquired from established peers and other successful business gurus,” he said.

Mr Gare said success in business was about hard work, devotion, commitment and mindset change on how one perceived business than drawing conclusions that it was for chosen individuals.

Government, he said, needed individuals who could be committed and be enthusiastic in planning.

He said because government was committed to alleviating poverty among the youth, it was critical for them to be enlightened on opportunities that could help change their lives.

He further called on Thamaga youth to take advantage of the fact that the government had enacted the Registration of Business Names and Companies Act. The decision, he said, would pave way for implementation of Online Business Registration System (OBRS).

He said the ministry was committed to creating a conducive environment for the promotion of investment and development of sustainable industries and trade with a view to diversify the economy, creating wealth and employment to ensure there was prosperity for all.

The summit was intended to, among other things, develop positive youth attitude and mindset, towards the future and keep them optimistic, promotion of self-based motivation depending on the business choice, to close gap between society and the business work and create awareness on existing business services and products within the community, it was upon individuals to positively apply their minds to what they intend to achieve.

For his part, Mr John Kauya of Global Business Network said business establishment required positive attitude, stating that there was no how businesses could yield positive result with negative attitude.

“Start small to be able to grow bigger. Change mindset from that of an employee to that of an employer,” advised Mr Kauya.

Meanwhile, the president of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) Ms Pricilla Kauya of Kauya and Partners, urged the youth to take advantage of platforms that could enable them to realise their dreams 

“It is important to understand that successful business people do it the God’s way, where businesses flourish without corruption and bribes,” said Ms Kauya.

A Thamaga youth, Mr Morekolodi Mathule, appreciated the business summit, which afforded youth to engage with successful individuals.

He said it was important to have churches advocating for issues that affected the youth and be able to encourage Thamaga youth to be part of the economy through active participation in the business world. ENDS