Mascom Hails Kitsong Centres' Operators
Pauline Dikuelo | Monday July 9, 2018 13:36
The mobile phone service provider awarded most improved Kitsong Centres last week with winners in the categories of most improved operator (Patson Mokgwathi), most supportive operator (Badiredi Mokwena), best community contributor (Musa Mokgethi), best Kitsong centre (Tankiso Tankiso) and best new service (Kefilwe Koboto).
As part of the programme, operators are trained and equipped by Mascom with relevant skills to operate centres as their own businesses. They serve as an ICT hub for small villages.
The centres provide services such as email and internet, secretarial services, computer training, photocopying and Mascom services such as mobile money, airtime, simcards and other services thus providing an enabling environment for the community to access the digital world.
Speaking during the Mascom Kitsong Centre workshop last week, Mascom chief operations officer Dzene Makhwade-Seboni said centres are at the core of their social investment programme highlighting that it is their response to the need to transform small villages into knowledge-based economies.
“In view of the success of the project, Mascom made a commitment to continue improving the lives of young people by establishing 69 more centres around Botswana making a total of 110 Kitsong Centres around the country,” she said.
In addition she noted that the combination of services offered by the centres enhances the lives of Batswana in the rural areas making it conducive for them to be part of the global village and be able to play a role in growing the economy.
The two-day workshop provided opportunity for the operators to share ideas, motivate each other thus according Mascom an opportunity to do refresher training on their products and services. The workshop empowered and upskilled Kitsong Centres operators with basic financial management exposure delivered by stakeholders in the financial sector.
In 2009 government partnered with Mascom to roll-out 41 Kitsong villages through Nteletsa II rural telecommunications development project. Mascom through corporate social responsibility increased the centres to 110. The centres have been operating as businesses for self-sustenance mainly manned by youth entrepreneurs some by Village Development Communities.
The minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi said the centres are developmental goals that help grow the economy. She applauded Mascom’s contribution to the ICT sector and its response to the global need of transforming small villages into knowledge-based economies.
“Community development scholars and practitioners also need to continue advocating for these tech-based solutions to development issues. With such examples as Kitsong Centres, we have the opportunity to end poverty in all its forms everywhere,” she said.