Aspiring entrepreneurs who been drilled for five months under the government of Botswana and Anglo American, Debswana and De Beers partnership programme dubbed Tokafala have been urged to soldier on to grow their business.
Twelve entrepreneurs who were among a batch of more than twenty eight entrepreneurs who graduated from Tokafala 8th installment of the programme are expected to undergo Tokafala’s one on one mentorship five months training.
Tokafala Programme Director Robert Wiggins encouraged the budding entrepreneurs to use what they learnt to grow their business. According to Wiggins the growth of their business is very important to the economy as it has a potential to diversify the economy.
He said that Tokafala’s ultimate goal is to diversify the economy away from mining by developing a middle class of entrepreneurs who will later become employers.
He encouraged the entrepreneurs to continue growing their business with the whole purpose of promoting economic development and employment creation in Botswana.
He said that the Tokafala programme is also aligned with the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s EDD strategy of economic diversification in Botswana.
Wiggins said the growth of SMME’s is a real step to help the country to achieve its agenda on the economic diversification.
He urged the budding entrepreneurs to keep health financials in the business with the intention to grow them.
Debswana Corporate Affairs Manager, Boikhutso Malele indicated that Debswana is proud to be partners of the Tokafala since its inception.
She indicated that Debswana’s role shows their commitment towards supporting the government agenda. He said that they are not going to leave diversification to be the burden of the government hence supporting partnership aimed at supporting SMME’s.
