22 Jun 2025

Sowa Town council through their District Development Economic Committee (DDEC) organised market day for the Small Medium Micro Enterprises(SMMEs) mostly funded through government programmes to assist them to forge partnerships and secure new markets.

In an interview with the council’s Commercial Officer Mr Ntemane Lebone on Thursday, explained that this was the fifth edition of the market day having started in 2019 and skipped 2020 due to COVID 19 pandemic.

Mr Lebone noted that the market day was an initiative of the DDEC aimed at boosting economic activity in Sowa as most of the businesses were illegally operating and they were not fully exposed to wider market.

He said in order for them to get exposure they conducted workshops and training platforms then ultimately gave way for the market day which was organised in 2019, and it attracted less than 50 exhibitors.

This year, he highlighted that they had over 100 businesses coming on board ,some coming as far as Lobatse and Gaborone as well as from neighbouring districts of North East and Tutume.

He further added that they have witnessed growth among the enterprises that had been coming to take part, adding that these successful businesses have inspired and attracted upcoming entrepreneurs.

In addition, he stated that as their town has been earmarked as Special Economic Zone for Chemical Production with Botswana Ash Mine, the market day, will therefore enable potential investors to come on board.

Furthermore, Mr Lebone said they are striving to achieve Public Private Partnerships (PPP) to stimulate economic growth in Sowa Town ,which they believe will drive job creation as more businesses move into setting up in the town.

He said they have numerous application of businesses seeking permit and licences to utilise open spaces around the town and these are positive results of their effort of engaging SMMEs.

Meanwhile, Youth Development Fund beneficiary Ms Ghadzani Tanken of Vula Jtose, a water purifying company based at Dukwi explained that she came for the first time at the market day in 2023 and since then she has tremendous growth in terms of the market as well as sales.

Before then, she was selling to the local community mostly and after attending the market day she spread to as far as Sebina moving towards securing Francistown market and paving way to open another branch in Nata through a partnership with another company. ENDS