03 Sep 2013

The objective of the market day that the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) hosted in Maun recently was to facilitate business linkages between small and medium enterprises and buyers.

LEA market access manager, Ms Boikhutso Kgomanyane, said in an interview that her organisation was trying to grow small businesses and expose them to new customers.  Fifteen business owners had been expected to showcase their products and services but only 10 turned up, she said.

Ms Kgomanyane pointed out that the purpose of the event was to provide an opportunity for business owners to network and talk about their challenges with the aim of finding solutions to their particular obstacles.

“For instance, one may find that they were unable to provide a chain store with a certain quota of tomatoes,” she said.  “They may then form clusters with other business owners to provide chain stores with the required quota of tomatoes.”  

The market day also provided LEA with a chance to market itself to potential clients who may need business assistance. Ms Kgomanyane noted that LEA hoped to have market days throughout the country where its 13 branches are located this financial year.

“We want to attract new clients and also create awareness of what we do at LEA,” she said. “Our market days also involve stakeholders who are critically important to the growth of these small businesses.” Other stakeholders who exhibited at the market day included Stanbic bank, National Development Bank and Standard Chartered Bank.  ENDS