Botswana National Experts Survey (NES) provides insights from experts in each economy on nine identified Entrepreneurial Frame Work conditions (EFC).
The NES collects and compiles experts opinion regarding the entrepreneurial start up and the overall Botswana youth entrepreneurial climate.
According to this detailed survey, youth are of particular importance to most government policies in that they constitute the majority of the population especially in Botswana.
They are also highly affected by unemployment and poverty. According to experts, the youth aged 14-20 years are key enablers of entrepreneurial activity in the country.
Of note is that youth in this age range have easy access to primary and secondary education, which offers a good foundation for access to opportunities.
The experts also reveal that the youth tend to develop their businesses from their own networks and experiences, which to a certain extent show that they are independent. One other thing that possibly explains this is the fact that government has deliberately come up with youth programs that give support on business skills and financial resources.
But the youth do not take advantage of them because they lack the creativity to come up with viable business ideas.
In some cases governments gives full grants to youth to start and operate their businesses.
These grants that go up to P250 000 and can be obtained through institutions such as the Department of Gender Affairs.
However, many youths spend much time selling each other dreams about venturing into business, but don’t make any moves.
Most of them get high and stay pipe dreaming, making no efforts to come up with any business idea they can turn into a presentable business plan.
Batswana youth would rather dabble in mischievous acts, like getting drunk and partying.
An average Motswana youth would rather compete over who can drink the most, party the most or yet still who can grip the most chicks. But according to this report, now these youngsters need to stop slacking.?The Department of Youth, in the ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, is currently undertaking country-wide orientation sessions for youth development funding up to as much as P500 000.
According to a presentation of the Youth Report 2013 made by one DR G.N Ganamotse from the University of Botswana, which is yet to be published, the lack of knowledge to start and manage businesses and business discontinuation and failure are some of the major constraints to youth owned businesses.
But one question that puzzles is why foreign owned youth businesses still flourish without any government intervention what so ever. ??The Rose of Sharon preschool and day care centre is a Christian based preschool and day care centre which was founded and owned by Valerie Masundire.
When you get to her crèche, you will hear the laughter and chatter of a group of children.
This is the place 80 happy toddlers call their home away from home ÔÇô their haven while their parents are at work. And caring for them in the hours is a woman with the mind of an entrepreneur and a heart of gold.
Although she is a Zimbabwean by origin, Masundire has spent all of her life living in Gaborone.
After graduating with a degree in Psychology from the University of Botswana, Masundire noticed an urgent need for child care after completing her studies and together with her mother, established a preschool in Gaborone Phase 2 from their personal savings.
Soon enough, thanks to word of mouth, one of the most powerful marketing tools for a budding business, other parents around Gaborone heard about the Rose of Sharon. Over the next few years a trickle of children turned in to a steady stream.
“We started the business from our home and now it has turned into an income generating business without any financial assistance from any institutions,” she said. The Rose of Sharon operates two branches around Gaborone.
