Mascom Kitsong Centres fundinga reach P20m

Staff Writer | Monday January 25, 2016 14:09

This came to light on Friday as Mascom handed over 14 Kitsong Centres to young entrepreneurs at the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC).

In 2009 Mascom partnered with Botswana government to rollout 41 Kitsong Centres in 41 villages through the Nteletsa II Rural Telecommunications Development Project. In view of the success of the project, Mascom has made a commitment to improve the lives of young people by establishing more centres.

After intensive training, the young entrepreneurs are awarded the Kitsong Centres to operate as their own businesses. This allows young people to be independent and contribute positively to the communities they live in. Mascom is contributing to the ICT sector and responding to the global need of transforming small villages into knowledge-based economies.This year Mascom has also introduced recognition awards in which four Kitsong Centre operators walked away with awards in various categories: Best Centre (Galempone Othasitse, Motopi Kitsong Centre), Best Community Contributor (Batshabi Malepa, Tshokwe Kitsong Centre), Best Potential (Bodiredi Bakwena, Kuke Kitsong Centre) and Most Persevering (Gothusang Monnana, Ikongwe Kitsong Centre). These awards are meant to recognise Kitsong Centre operators who have shown potential for growth, individuals who have shown perseverance, individuals who have shown cordial working relationships with their communities and those who have made their businesses the ICT hub in their communities through creativity, hard work and commitment.The winners of these awards got P5,000 each to improve the products and services they offer at the Kitsong centres. The two nominees each received P1, 500 worth of airtime to sell at their businesses. Mascom Chief Information Officer, Lilly Sullivan, said: “Kitsong Centres are at the core of Mascom’s corporate social responsibility programme and the main objective of this initiative is to bridge the digital divide by taking ICT services to communities in rural areas.