Initiative to empower entrepreneurs launched
Spira Tlhankane | Wednesday October 7, 2015 15:13
The initiative will empower young people, up to the age of 40 years, to successfully setup their business idea with seed money of P100,000.
Briefing the media yesterday DAI manager, Otto von Rudloff said the initiative is meant to create young millionaires with the right mindset in entrepreneurship.
“The initiative is a competition where applicants will develop a business proposal that they will submit for assessment,” he explained.
He said they would take the business idea and turn it into a viable entity. Rudloff added that they are going to open the opportunity to Batswana adding that they will be able to register online.
He said the candidates can register for the training at a cost of P1,200 and afterwards they would be accredited. Rudloff said a panel of judges would shortlist the candidates who would then attend additional workshops.
“Once the applicants have made their presentations and proposals have been put through the judging process, a winner with the most innovative and viable idea will be selected,” he said. Rudloff said the winner will be taken through a one-year entrepreneurship development programme where they will be assisted with tools that would aid them to become successful entrepreneurs.
“Additionally they will be mentored by a successful businessman, Jagdish Shah for a year to enhance their opportunity to successfully set up their business idea.
Currently we have no deadline yet and that would depend on Batswana’s response to the idea,” he said. Also speaking at the press briefing, founder of Young Aspiring Millionaires Botswana (YAMB), Bonang Morapedi said they encourage young people to take part in the initiative. “Young Batswana complain about lack of employment, but they never get involved in this initiative,” he said.
Morapedi, who is also a farmer, said he benefited from the Youth Development Fund (YDF) in 2012.
“Most people get into the projects because they need the money, but these projects need passionate people in order to be successful,” he said. The prize includes P100,000 cash, corporate branding, office space for a year, one year’s worth of radio advertising airtime, one-year’s worth of newspaper advertising, one-year’s worth of a digital marketing strategy, one-year’s worth of web accounting service and one-year’s worth of mentorship by Shah.