08 Jun 2023

Youth have been encouraged to recognise the role that cooperatives play as a model of business that can be used to create jobs.

Speaking at the entrepreneurship workshop in Kopong recently, MP for Lentsweletau/Mmopane, Ms Nnaniki Makwinja said the training was set to exchange notes on how to maximise benefits derived from cooperatives.

“The training aims at forming clusters that need individual participation hence you should all take advantage of the opportunities presented by the government, Ms Makwinja said.

She also said the cooperative transformation strategy’s main objective was to transform cooperative societies in the country into viable and sustainable business entities, therefore the youth should form cooperatives to venture into new generation businesses to improve their lives.

Ms Makwinja, who is also Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, applauded the Kweneng North Horticultural Farmers Marketing Cooperative which was fully registered in 2015 for its satisfactory performance, saying it was currently functioning as an economy stimulus.

Cooperatives auditor from the Department of Cooperatives Development, Mr Simon Ngaruka said the aim was to impart entrepreneurial skills to residents and business owners as well as raise awareness on the ministry’s mandate.

“In a nutshell, cooperative businesses were the mainstay of livelihoods during the 90’s but youth participation was near the ground. 

For that reason, government made efforts to have inclusive growth by bringing up initiatives that encourage youth to start businesses,” Mr Ngaruka said.

Additionally, he said cooperatives were formed by 10 individuals who then grouped themselves to access government services.

“The idea of clustering individuals at a go gives a leverage to reach out a large number of people in a short period of time,” he said.

Furthermore, he said being a member of a cooperative society was advantageous since they spoke with one voice which made it easy to find assistance and sell their products. 

A representative from Kweneng Regional Cooperative Union, Ms Elizabeth Morebodi said cooperatives should have enterprise model when engaging in projects because deviating could lead to challenges of financial accountability.

She also advised cooperatives to avoid running after wealth accumulation, but instead remain consistent with their objective of empowering their members through access to financial services at low and affordable interest rates.

Ms Morebodi also said working together was one of the strategies that could enhance their voices to thus leading to cumulative environmental management actions. Ends