The Botswana Gazette Wednesday 14 - 20 June 2017
Supplement to The Botswana Gazette
Youth Expo
Page 25
14 - 20 June 2017
YE1
Youth business expo returns with big improvements Amogelang Gopane
G
ABORONE; The annual Youth Business Exposition 2017 (YB Expo) returned on a high note with a lot quality developments and diversity last week. The Expo took place at Fair Grounds, Gaborone from Tuesday to Sunday last week. The event saw a major improvement of 54 exhibitors who came to display their products. Three hundred exhibitors displayed their offerings as compared to last year’s 246. Moreover, a notable 60% percent of exhibitors scored over 50% in terms of adjudicating based on the quality of products and services offered. According to youth policy specialist in the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Culture and the Youth Business expo organiser Lawrence Ookeditse said a lot of improvement in terms of quality and range of products displayed has vigorously improved as compared to previous years. “A vigorous improvement in terms of quality and range of products displayed has been noted as compared to previous years. We are also very happy
as we managed to reach our 300 target of exhibitors this year as we fell shot last year and only managed to attract 246 youth entrepreneurs,” he said. Ookeditse said through the exhibition, the ministry’s intention is to breach the barrier between youth small businesses which are competing with established companies in in the markets. “The ministry’s intention is to breach the barrier between youth small businesses which are competing with established companies in in the markets. We hope to build confidence in the products and services of small youth businesses,” he said. The First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) Chief Executive Officer, Mr Steven Bogatsu said during the award ceremony that starting and maintaining a business comes with challenges that can however be overcome. He further encouraged youth entrepreneurs to be artistic in their works. “To me entrepreneurship is more aligned to art than business, a big contributor to our economy. It is a journey that is full of challenges but such can be overcome. The youth make up 90% of our overall social population and it is a clear indication that they are the future leaders hence they need
all the support through giving them advices, guidelines and inspiration necessary,”he said. Despite the notable success of this year’s expo, some exhibitors expressed concerns regarding the logistics. One exhibitor who specializes in photography revealed to this publication, on request for anonymity, that due to disorganised transport provision his equipment got stolen aboard public transport and the incident which could
have been easily avoided affected his performance badly. “The organisers failed to provide transport adequately and as a result I lost some of my equipment aboard public transport. My cameras got stolen, and this affected my overall performance and this is all because of failed transport logistics. We were also invited to the event very late and we had to do everything in a rush in order to avoid missing an opportunity,” the exhibitor said.
Youth Business expo is an initiative of the Ministry of Youth Empowerment Sports and Culture aimed at exposing youth in business to market their products and services. Through this key initiative which started 2016, the ministry aims to grow the customer base and improve sustainability of youth business through networking. The YB 2017 was held under the theme “Where young people strive for success.’’
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YOUTH EXPO SUPPLEMENT
Wednesday 14 - 20 June 2017 The Botswana Gazette
Business flourishes through online marketing
This is only the beginning for House of Rue By Amogelang Gopane
2 part time upholsters.
M
She expressed her gratitude to The Botswana Gazette recently after scooping the third price and consequently, walking home with a whooping P5.000 cheque.
aking their first appearance in the manufacturing scenery, House of Rue proved their determination of being one of the country’s finest producers by snatching 3rd position during the recent annual Youth Business Expo awards 2017 held in Gaborone. Runyararo Rue Moitlhobogi, the mind behind the thriving business emerged into the marketplace barely a year ago and has shown determination and hard work towards the success of her business despite challenges she came across. Her business has employed 3 seamstresses permanently and
House of Rue (PTY)LTD, Plot 5665/6 Email:info@houseofrue.co.bw www.houseofrue.co.bw
“I am so humbled and grateful to have won. I owe it to my team which worked tirelessly in preparation for the event. We gave it our all and it’s fulfilling getting an award,” she said The Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs funded company which is based in Broadhusrt Industrial defeats stiff competition very well by bring out something different in good fabrics with creative
designs and at yet affordable prices.
Moitlhobogi further said House of Rue will continue to work hard and flourish in the manufacturing industry and take part in the next Youth Business Expo and other competitions available that will boost the enterprise as a whole. “The youth business expo is the best thing that has ever happened to my business thus far. We are getting orders and a lot of people got to appreciate our work. This has given us the confidence and more courage to work even harder and by God’s grace, we will be there again next year,” she said.
Amogelang Gopane
A
s a way to efficiently and effectively provide quality services at their customer’s own comfort of their respective homes or offices, Boswa energy will soon launch their website come July 2017. This was revealed by the company Chief Executive Officer Tumelo Sealetsa in an interview with The Botswana Gazette recently. Sealetsa said through this website customers will be able to order products at their own convenience. “We recently noticed that our customers go through a lot of trouble to order their needed products, therefore we have seen it essential as Boswa energy to create a website that customers will use to order and monitor their products from the comfort of their
homes,” he said. Sealetsa further said this initiative will also help curb cases of fraud as individuals will be able to track their products directly hence they are building safe and secure relations with their customers. Boswa energy is newly established energy company which started February 2017 with a sole intent of selling gas and other petroleum products such as diesel and petrol. They do so by buying the gas from South Africa and transporting it to Botswana. This 100% citizen company is a true testimony that Batswana can make it in any industry as it managed to penetrate through the energy industry which is dominated mostly by foreign companies. Boswa energy will also be launching the company itself in July 2017.
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Tumelo Sealetsa of Boswa Energy(M), Gorata Bagwasi (left) and Thuso Nkgakile
Meet the winners Minister’s award: P25 000.00 Awardee: Gaotlhokwe Seloma (SIGN LANGUAGE AND MEDIA BOTSWANA) CATEGORY: Consultancy Services 1st: Great Ant (Tax 360) 2nd: Agribusiness Forum 3rd: Blind Vision CATEGORY: Professional Services 1st: High Grade Technologies 2nd: Eb Customs 3rd: Digital Arm (PTY) Ltd CATEGORY: Food Processing 1st: Maungo Craft 2nd: Monate Wa Temo 3rd: The Pink Caraven CATEGORY: Creative Arts Industry 1st: Nora Cosmetics 2nd: Woodman Interiors (PTY) Ltd 3rd: Cre8ive Cactus (PTY) Ltd CATEGORY: Manufacturing 1st: Laedy P Organics (PTY) Ltd 2nd: Onias Industries 3rd: House of Rue (PTY) Ltd CATEGORY: Environmental Conservation 1st: Seatbealts & Open Spaces 2nd: Mokomela Investments 3rd: Energy Africa Innovation-Botswana CATEGORY: Tourism 1st: Goldwave Travel Group 2nd: Lucky Adventures Safari 3rd: Explore Botswana 360 CATEGORY: Science, Technology and Innovation 1st: Aeronautical Solutions 2nd: Sky Soft 3rd: Conexus CATEGORY: Agriculture 1st: Wadisigo Farm 2nd: Seedling Master 3rd: Ikelo Farm
From YE1
The Botswana Gazette Wednesday 14 - 20 June 2017
LEA Incubation program bears fruits
Page 27 YOUTH EXPO SUPPLEMENT YE3
SATOSHICENTRE Blockchain Technology Hub Amogelang Gopane
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he Incubation programme, being one of the services offered by Local Enterprise Authority (LEA), assists to accelerate growth and businesses through provision of space and shared services at subsidized rates. Even though LEA offers many services to Small Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs), the Incubation program seems to be bearing fruits quickly to a lot of businesses such as Handy Products (PTY) Ltd. This 2012 LEA incubated enterprise that specialises in the manufacturing and supply of different floor mats and wall decorations, took centre stage at the recently held Youth Business Expo 2017. Sipho Mogolodi, the brains behind the flourishing business which was born into the market five years ago has shown commitment and perseverance towards success in business despite challenges. His business has already created three jobs thus far and two other stands by employees. Being a rare business locally, Handy Products (PTY) Ltd specializes in floor mats art
printing and decorations. The glance at one’s business name on a logo printed in a mat is fascinating. The decorations on the business reception area and homes leaves an everlasting memory on customers and at the same time implies modern innovative branding, thanks to LEA incubation program. LEA is mandated to implement policies and programs for the promotion of and development of SMMEs in Botswana. The authority does this through 13 branches and 4 incubators across the country. LEA’s key sectors range from manufacturing, tourism, agriculture and any services that support the three business sectors. The authority particularly targets women, youth and unemployed individuals. Furthermore, part of the Authority’s policy is to encourage businesses to use locally available natural resources and raw materials thus encouraging import substitution and export oriented products and services. Building competencies in quality and efficiency by entrepreneurs is also one the elements that LEA emphasises through the authority’s mission.
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Wednesday 14 - 20 June 2017 The Botswana Gazette
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n the midst of unemployment crisis amongst the youth locally, youth small businesses around the country came in large numbers to market and advertise their products and services at the recent Youth Business Expo 2017 in Gaborone. Keletso Lobelo of Millenary Miller, a young gifted designer who ventured into the hat designing industry was among those aspiring and vibrant entrepreneurs. Lobelo who funded herself to start up this fascinating business spoke with a cheerful smile on her face about her business, said she was inspired by Queen Elizabeth’s hats in the United Kingdom and started her business January 2016. “I ventured into this designer industry after noting Queen Elizabeth’s hats. Soon after that also noticed that the sinamay hats fashion was penetrating the market as a lot of women putting on the hats the Durban July horse race in South Africa. It was then when I realised that this fashion of hats is very unique and divine,” she said Quizzed on how her business is performing in such a competitive environment, Lobelo said the business is doing well despite challenges that she outlined. “The business is doing fairly well; fashion icons are slowly coming. Some days are better than others as I have some corporate directors who wear my hats. Here in the expos, nobody has bought anything yet but I have run out of flyers which means that they will come,” she explained. Lobelo further said she handles firm rivalry very well, she said she
was competing with no one other than herself and takes instructions from her customers very seriously. “One thing that makes me very unique as a designer is that, I am very flexible with my customers. They just show me the dresses they want to match with hat and I come up with some amazing and very exclusive. I play around with different materials such as African prints, German prints,” she said. She further shared her long-term plans of extending her services to accommodate more customers with more needs which she said includes manufacturing millinery herself. “I get material I use from South Africa which is sometimes very hard, therefore my hope and which is to manufacture the material to supply to my fellow Africans, henceforth I can be able to have my own factory that manufactures hats and supply reputable shops such us as Stuttaford’s, Foschini, legit and others,” she said. Lobelo further said she would soon display her designs at the in different boutiques such as Boutique Concept located at North Gate Mall to expose her items. She has done many fashion shows as a way to market and advertise herself and she has yet another big fashion show coming up. “I have done Kgwanyape expo, Flash Mob fashion show, Tutume Get fashion show and I will soon be showcasing my items at the Miss Botswana Consumer fair fashion show. There also a lot of events that am still waiting to attend to this year. Hope by the end of this year my products will be known by a lot of people across the country,” she added.