A Glance Into MultiChoice Botswana’s Talent Factory Initiative

A Glance Into

MultiChoice Botswana’s Talent Factory Initiative

Multichoice Botswana continues to make positive strides in the development of the local communities through its flagship Created Shared Value (CSV) programme titled the “Multichoice Talent Factory”. The company carries strong community empowerment initiatives centered on MulitiChoice Talent Factory, according to Thembi Legwaila who holds the title of Corporate Affairs Manager at the company.

Legwaila is tasked with managing the reputation of MulitiChoice through issues management, corporate communications, stakeholder engagement, and internal comms as well as creating Shared Value, which other organizations refer to as Corporate Social Investment.

SHARED VALUE INITIATIVE Legwaila takes pride in the company’s red flagship MultiChoice Botswana Talent Factory Initiative, saying: “This initiative seeks to ignite Africa’s creative industries through three pillars; the first being the MTF Academy where we send young aspiring filmmakers to a film academy for a fully sponsored one year programme under the tutelage of some of Africa’s, and the world’s, most respected film and television experts.”

“Our second pillar involves the MTF Master classes, which are the one-day long classes for more experienced filmmakers, where they are taken through specific functions of filmmaking such as sound, directing, and storytelling from our partners around the world, and lastly, the MTF Portal which is a free online networking system which allows creatives to collaborate and connect with other creatives all over Africa and the world-at-large, “said Legwaila while explaining the initiative . Legwaila says content is king as we all know and all around the world, content is becoming a highly valued currency.

“Through MTF we aim to raise the standards of filmmaking in Botswana through empowering filmmakers to have the capability to not only make great films and tell great authentic stories but to also flourish in the business of filmmaking and to create an industry here that is profitable; one that can rival industries such as that of Nollywood and South Africa’s booming film industries,” she said. MTF ACADEMY OUTCOMES Furthermore, Legwaila relishes the high positive impact brought by the MTF since its inception.

“To date we have had four young Batswana students graduate from the MTF Academy and we are also incredibly proud of these young ladies. Nikita Mokgware and Serena Serene Mmifinyana from our inaugural Class of 2019 graduated and returned home to start an N&M Productions. The ladies have already been engaged to work on the projects both for MultiChoice as well as other local broadcasters. Mokgware and Mmifinyana launched a podcast called ‘This is Africa’ which was available via the MTF Portal, and which featured different creatives throughout the continent and how they are changing Africa’s creative footprint,” she said filled with full of confidence.

Thembi Legwaila Corporate Affairs Manager

Lorato Orapeleng MTF Class of 2020 Graduate Botswana

Masego Mohwasa MTF Class of 2020 Graduate

Lorato Orapeleng and Masego Mohwasa who graduated in 2020, have also started their own production companies, Mediawrap Africa and 27 Pictures, respectively, and both companies have also enjoyed their fair share of the work since they commenced their business operations.

“We are incredibly proud to have had Mediawrap Africa work on the four on-air promos which are now being aired across DSTV. These showcase 4 different individual’s whose lives have been enriched through their association with MultiChoice Botswana. Both Mohwasa and Orapeleng did an amazing job, for a new production company, in capturing the stories of Chris Kemolebale, a DStv installer who has worked with us for over the 20 years, Onkabetse Reikeletseng, the first Motswana producer to work on the highly coveted Date My Family franchise, Nikita Mokgware, and Phatsimo Tholo, one of our MultiChoice Botswana employees,’’ Legwaila further explained.

CREATIVE INDUSTRY The MultiChoice Botswana Talent Factory is also contributing to the creative industry. The filmmaking and creative industry -at-large is also covered according to Legwaila by the MTF.

“We have already seen the effects of this by the production PF houses that our students have created and the paid work they have already conducted for local broadcasters. They have set a sterling example of what we want to achieve through this initiative, and we only hope that the new incumbents, who we are currently interviewing for the MTF Class of 2022 follow suit. The MultiChoice Talent Factory initiative is a MultiChoice Africa Holdings initiative which benefits all the countries that sit under the MultiChoice Group. As a business with a vision to be Africa’s leading storyteller, the Talent Factory remains an anchor initiative which assists us in driving this vision by creating the local content growth in each of our markets,” said Legwaila happily.

Early in the spread of the pandemic the organisation harnessed the power of its platforms to ensure that its subscribers across the continent were given access to credible and accurate information.

As part of its ongoing efforts to raise the necessary awareness through information, Legwaila said MultiChoice at the Group level has come on board as an official supporter of the United Nations’ Global COVID-19 awareness campaign Pause which launched on 30 June across the world.

The aim of the Pause campaign is to highlight the dangers of sharing false information related to COVID-19. The campaign asks everyone to pause, think and take care before sharing information which could be inaccurate or misinformed and may have the harmful effects.

“In Botswana, specifically, in August of 2020, through the Ministry of Presidential Affairs and Governance, MultiChoice Botswana donated PPE to health workers to assist in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. The donation included the Hazmat suits, gloves, and surgical masks. We have continuously produced the alternative self-service methods to assist our customers from the comfort of their home as well as initiating a Home Delivery Service which allowed our customers to order their decoders safely and have them delivered to comply with social distancing regulations,” said Legwaila adding that MultiChoice is committed to CSV.

MultiChoice Group’s approach to social responsibility is focused on the relationships we have with our employees, our communities, and our customers (including ensuring the protection and privacy of their data).

“We are deeply invested in these relationships, knowing that our sustainability as a company is grounded in the commitment of our people, and the trust that we build with our customers and communities alike. Our various programs actively address and manage social and the economic development, creating much needed employment, contributing to the fiscus, and enabling small businesses to grow. We see beyond business priorities, and we strive to make the lasting impact on the communities in which we operate. Our CSI initiatives focus on creating employment opportunities, developing up-and-coming filmmakers, and nurturing future sport stars,” MutliChoice Group underlines.

Another notable empowerment initiative by the Group is the MultiChoice Innovation Fund is an enterprise development fund administered by the MultiChoice Enterprise Development Trust.

According to the MutiChoice Group, the fund’s aim is to fast track entrepreneurs to industry leadership in the technology, e-commerce, digital content, film, and the production industries.

“It provides black majority-owned start-up entrepreneurs and the established SMMEs with the necessary tools, skills and financial support to enable them to bring their business ideas to life. The fund has a strong focus on small, medium, and micro-sized enterprises owned by young and female entrepreneurs. Since the inception, the fund has disbursed R252m in loans, grants, and business development expenses to achieve this purpose,” said MultiChoice.