16 Feb 2022

Over 200 young people have benefitted from the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Botswana since its inception two years ago.

The programme, a collaboration between the US Embassy and Now for Them Trust and Career Coaching Botswana as implementing partners, is intended to capacitate young entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 35 years through online and interactive courses in various fields.

Speaking in an interview, Now for Them Trust founder Ms Sarah Mulwa said the programme started in 2020 as a support mechanism to entrepreneurs during the COVID-19 pandemic with the aim to equip young people with skills and resources to start or enhance their businesses.

She also noted that it created a networking opportunity for their beneficiaries.

“AWE gives young entrepreneurs the knowledge, network and resources to either launch or scale up their businesses.

Now for Them Trust and Career Coaching Botswana piloted the programme in 2020 in Botswana with 100 beneficiaries and since then we have been implementing it with the support of the US Embassy Gaborone.

It has reached over 200 beneficiaries across Botswana with in class and online learning options,” Ms Mulwa said.

She noted that the objective was to ensure that the trainees, who are mainly young women, were capacitated to explore various business sectors such as manufacturing, industrialisation, food and beverages, education, arts and entertainment, among others.

Ms Mulwa said they had partnered with Botho University, Kanye and Mochudi Brigades to train the 250 beneficiaries identified for the 2021-2022 cohort, of which 89 had already graduated.

Additionally, she said they continued to engage different experts not only to drill and interact with participants but to also offer guidance and counselling amidst COVID-19.  

“Our training ensures that when participants complete their courses, they have a tangible and implementable business plan which is marketable and can be financed through various support structures such as the Youth Development Fund.

We have a range of experts we engage to empower our trainees from the banking, insurance, property, marketing, communications, food and beverages sectors as well as guidance and counselling in light of COVID-19,” the programme’s founder said.

She applauded the Ministry of Employment and Skills Development for their contribution to the program, through guiding participants regarding the YDF application process to ensure they were successful. ENDS