FEDE MENTORSHIP PROMOTES SUSTAINABILITY FOR WOMEN IN BUSINESS By Bakang Tiro
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28-year-old local fashion entrepreneur, Mpho Chepete, has established the FEDE Mentorship Programme under her business FEDE COUTURE. The Mentorship Program is designed for young unemployed women to assert an independent lifestyle through fashion design that includes tailoring and sewing. Chepete's undying love for fashion led her to the gates of Limkokwing University, where she studied for an Associate Degree in Fashion and Apparel Design. In 2018 she registered her clothing brand, FEDE COUTURE. Chepete came up with the initiative after realising the high number of school dropouts churned out by the government educational system annually. She feared the situation would lead to students degrading their values while trying to make a living and become victims of Gender-Based Violence, suicide, drug abuse, or HIV/AIDS in some instances. She explained that the programme targets girls and young women aged between 18 and 25, from junior certificate holders to those with tertiary education. Chepete also said they intend to usher in at least 20-50 unemployed young women through entrepreneurship development and skill training programmes. The program is expected to run for three years. She said this would decrease the rate of unemployment, which went up during the period 2020/2021 in Botswana. FEDE COUTURE: THE BRAND FEDE has been featured in a couple of shows like the Kushatha and Masa Fashion shows. It has
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THE RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN | BUSINESS • COMMUNITY • IMPACT
