10 Oct 2013

The Botswana Innovation Hub recently hosted a two-day workshop for the youth and small and medium enterprises.

The purpose of the workshop was to impart skills to budding entrepreneurs on how to launch and sustain their business, as well as develop better awareness of their capabilities and limitations.

The Build Your Business (BYB) workshop was conceptualised after a realisation that small businesses played a critical role in the economy by creating employment and serving as engines of economic growth. Yet far too many youth, particularly those in emerging markets, lacked access to the education and training opportunities to start and sustain such businesses.

When making a presentation at the workshop, Mr Bruneau Woomed, a master trainer from Mauritus, explained that BYB was an entrepreneurship training course that would provide the skills and support necessary to start, sustain and grow business.

He added that the target beneficiaries included current and aspiring micro and small scale enterprise owners, youth aged between 16 and 35 as well as entrepreneurs in all industries.

He added that some of BYB’s core partners included the International Youth Foundation, Microsoft and University of Stellenbosch. During training the attendants were put thorough 14 blended- learning modules on DVD-ROM/flash.

There were three parts to each module which included self-guided computer aided activities, facilitator led activities and self-guided hands-on activities outside the classroom. The attendants were encouraged to identify successful entrepreneurs to mentor them after the training exercise. Ends