29 Mar 2021

The Assistant Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Development Mr Buti Billy has encouraged youth whose projects were funded by the Youth Development Fund to work hard and grow their businesses.

The assistant minister, who was touring projects funded through YDF, met Ms Dimpho Madema, a young woman who operates a metal works businesses.

Ms Madema told the assistant minister that her flourishing metal works businesses started operating from home before she approached MYSC for funding.

The ABM University College graduate said her company manufactured and sold steel and aluminum products such as windows and doors.

Ms Madema said YDF funded her in June 2016 to start a manufacturing company.

She said when she started, she had about six employees though operating from a small place which limited her operations.

“l later moved to better space as our products were in higher demand and it was a challenge for us to produce more from our former place. After this move we had to hire more people and now we offer more services,” she shared

She said she had hired 22 people, but since COVID-19 pandemic she was forced to cut staff to about 14 because business was slow.

She said though she moved to a better space, she still needed a bigger space as the current space made it difficult for her to expand and meet her client demands. She said she was unable to get a bigger space because rental for manufacturing warehouses was too high.

Impressed, Mr Billy encouraged her to work hard to be able to afford desirable space to operate from and create more employment.

He said he was impressed by the scale of her business and that her story would encourage other young Batswana.

MYSC deputy permanent secretary Mr Bruno Paledi encouraged Ms Madema to make sure her work environment was safe and clean at all times.

The assistant minister also visited Francistown School of Programming, a learning institution offering IT related courses, owned by Mr. Goitsemang Majaga. Mr Billy applauded the level of commitment displayed by Mr Majaga and staff.

Mr Majaga explained that his school offered IT courses accredited by Botswana Qualification Authority (BQA).

He said school has been in operation for seven years and it had been a pleasant journey as he got six awards and two international ones for offering the best quality education.

He further said the school employed  seven young energetic staff. As for corporate social responsibilities, he said the school has been donating scholarships to orphans and vulnerable children.

He expressed that his only big challenge was that he was losing clients as he is not fully accredited in some courses by BQA. ENDS