30 May 2024

De Beers Global Sightholder Sales External Communications Manager, Ms Tumie Ramsden, says De Beers Group and Stanbic Botswana teamed up through the Seed Transformation Programme to launch a series of mentorship sessions designed to inspire and support women entrepreneurs.

In an interview with BOPA on Monday, Ms Ramsden said the initiative was expected to foster entrepreneurship and economic growth.

Ms Ramsden said since its inception in 2017, the Seed Transformation Program has seen 91 companies graduate, with Southern African firms outperforming local benchmarks significantly.

These companies have achieved compound annual revenue growth that exceeds GDP growth in all three participating countries (Botswana, Namibia and South Africa), creating approximately 2,820 jobs and an impressive average annualized job growth rate of 15 per cent, she said.

Ms Ramsden highlighted that 70 per cent of the companies have secured capital post-graduation, underscoring the programme's effectiveness in driving tangible economic progress. Ends