23 Mar 2014

Junior Achievement Botswana (JAB) in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Skills Development will be sending two young entrepreneur teams to represent Botswana at the Junior Achievement Young Enterprise (JA-YE) Europe Trade Fair billed for Israel on April 2-4.

The two teams will comprise of five junior secondary and five senior secondary school students. Mr Tiboke Mhlambi from JAB said during the JAB mentorship session held at Selebi Phikwe Senior Secondary School to prepare the two teams or student companies for the event on Saturday, Marcg 22, that the two companies namely Jean Co. from Tonota Junior Secondary and Mandox Company from Selebi Phikwe Senior Secondary were selected during the 2013 JAB National Best Business Expose in June last year after becoming the over-all winners.

He said the two teams’ projects would be competing with other young entrepreneurs from Europe and Africa and the rest of the world in Israel.

He said Mandox Company which produces spice racks made from different types wood and Jean Co. which produces hand bags made from jeans will be presenting company profiles indicating organizational structures, company production analysis of goods produced and balance sheet stipulating how the company progressed since the organisations were established, among other things to the JA-YE Trade Fair adjudicators.

Mrs Onthatile Modise also from JAB mentioned that companies will compete in three main categories which include the Most Innovative Product category, Social Responsible Business category and Best Marketing Technique category.

Under the Most Innovative category, she said companies will be judged according to the design of the products, the quality finish of the product, effectiveness of purpose of the product, inventiveness, packaging and impact the product will have in the environment.

She said the Social Responsible Business award will be given to student companies which do the best job at showing the ability to be profitable and competitive, bring benefits to shareholders and secure long term growth and job security.

Also under the Social Responsibility section companies have to show how they meet wider concerns of stakeholders such as employees, suppliers, customers and local communities.

She said environmental issues such as preventing pollution, optimizing resources efficiency and developing products with minimal environmental impacts will also be among the issues included in judging products of the student companies.

Regarding the Best Marketing Technique category, Mrs Modise noted that appearance of product sales, the team presentation on the stand during exhibition, market research and marketability of products will be looked into including how the companies package, promote and advertise their products.

In the meantime, the aims of JA-YE is to help young people understand the economics of life. Further in partnership with business and educators, JA-YE bring the real world to students and open their minds to their potential.

The JA-YE Trade Fair also gives students an opportunity to experience selling their products and services to the public. The event has been setup not only to boost student business results but also reinforce the relationship between members. The trade fair further serves to raise awareness on students’ creativity and enthusiasm for enterprises.

The students from Selebi Phikwe Senior Secondary School who will represent the country include Phatsimo Nthai, Michelle Daniel, Loraine Nchengwa, Kealeboga Madise and Nancy Modeme while students from Tonota Junior Secondary School include Dolph Kudumane, Gontlefela Norman, Onalenna Tadubana, Dimpho Makhumalo and Maatla Wageng. ENDS