14 Jun 2023

The Association of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise Business in Botswana (ASMMEB) has received over 200 membership applications since its launch two weeks ago.

The treasurer of the association, Mr Goboletswe Sepapane said their aim was to build a community of entrepreneurs.

He said they were encouraged by the response, but that they believe there were still a lot of businesses not registered. He said given the number of SMMEs in the country they were confident that more entrepreneurs would identify with their cause and join the association.

Mr Sepapane said their mission was to campaign for the promotion and development of markets both locally and abroad 

He added that they aimed to register over 10 000 members in the first two years. 

“We believe that every SMME in Botswana can benefit from the advocacy, support and resources that our association provides,” Mr Sepapane said.

He said members of the association would receive benefits such as advocacy, market promotion and development as well as entrepreneurship training.

To join the association, he said, members paid an annual fee of P500 and that membership forms could be accessed on their website.

He said membership numbers were vital to their course as ‘each member strengthens our voice, increases our influence when negotiating for favourable policies and extends our capacity to provide valuable services to the SMME community’.

He added that they were on an aggressive membership drive using various platforms such as social media, radio and television. He said they also participated in business fora and networking events to engage with potential members.

Mr Sepapane said their biggest challenge was creating awareness about the association’s mission and membership benefits. He also noted that some SMMEs might be hesitant due to past experiences with other associations. 

“We are working hard to differentiate ourselves by providing tangible value and demonstrating the benefits of being part of the ASMMEB community,” he said.

Officially launching the association, Minister of Entrepreneurship, Mr Karabo Gare noted that a study by Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis had indicated that SMMEs contributed up to 75 per cent of private sector employment and 20 per cent of national output. ENDS