15 Jul 2026

Investing in women-led enterprises is key to sustaining community livelihoods, creating local jobs and reducing poverty, Absa Bank has said. 

The bank on Friday hosted a one-day workshop in Maun aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs with practical tools to build resilient and sustainable businesses. 

Speaking at the event, Absa Public and Media Relations Manager, Mr Spencer Moreri, said women played a critical role in the economy and the bank remains committed to supporting them through tailored banking and empowerment programmes. 

“Through these workshops, the bank equips women with practical skills in financial literacy and business governance,” Moreri said.

He added that Absa has signed several Memoranda of Agreement with organisations including the Local Enterprise Authority and the Botswana Unified Revenue Service to help entrepreneurs improve export-readiness and tax compliance. 

The bank also uses a colleague-volunteering strategy to mentor and train women business owners. 

Participants were taken through key areas including talent acquisition, fair termination practices, intellectual property protection and employment law. 

Absa Legal Advisor, Mr Keletso Tebele, stressed the importance of intellectual property as both a moral and economic asset. 
“Intellectual property is typically used by the owner but can also be licensed to another user under commercial terms,” Mr Tebele said. 

He urged women entrepreneurs to register their trademarks, noting that under Section 74 of the Industrial Property Act, a mark must be capable of distinguishing the goods and services of an enterprise to qualify for registration. 

Senior Human Capital Business Partner, Mr Smile Thela, briefed attendees on the Employment and Labour Relations Act 2025, which was passed into law in July last year and is awaiting commencement. 

He warned that employers must keep a register of casual employees for the current period and for two years thereafter, or risk a fine of P10,000 or two years imprisonment. 

Mr Thela added that all employment laws apply to SME staff and urged business owners to treat employees well, saying workforce welfare directly impacted business success. 

The workshop also covered Absa’s enterprise and supply chain development programme, funding options for SMEs, and solutions to challenges small-scale entrepreneurs face when accessing financial services. 

One of the participants, Ms Lesebogang Temane, thanked Absa and LEA for their support. 

“Both organisations are doing their best to provide solutions to the challenges entrepreneurs face,” she said. 

Ms Temane encouraged fellow business owners to use the services offered by both institutions and to comply with labour laws to avoid penalties. ENDS