The bolsters business confidence for startups
Pauline Dikuelo | Monday February 5, 2018 13:14
The Foundation, which is in its fourth cycle, is a business development programme aimed at providing training, mentoring, funding and network access to catalyse growth in Africa’s most under-valued resource; entrepreneurs.
Local TEF ambassador, a young entrepreneur who was listed in the Forbes 30 under 30, Knight Ganje said the programme can help aspiring entrepreneurs to develop their ideas and become successful.
“A lot of African entrepreneurs in Africa have good business ideas, but mostly lack mentoring hence the reason they usually fail in the infancy stage. So this programme is exactly what they need because it does provide enterprise development tool kit, business training for 12 weeks as well as mentoring,” he said.
In addition he said the programme can open doors to the international markets because they normally assess the business that one has pitched and helps in that regard even to an extend of connecting one with the existing markets where there is potential.
He further encouraged entrepreneurs who have start-ups or business ideas with the potential to grow to apply, especially women noting that the programme covers about 11 sectors including waste management, consultancy, Information Communication Technology (ICT), agriculture, manufacturing, transport and logistics just amongst others.
Applications for the programme are open until the March 1, 2018. Successful candidates would then be informed on March 22, following which they would then receive mentorship and business training skills until October.
“For one to apply for the programme, all they need is a business idea and to go online at the website and follow instructions. The development of the business plan, mentorship, training then follows,” he said.
Giving testimony, one of the five beneficiaries from last year, Shima Kealopa who runs an ICT company said through the mentorship he got, his business is now booming.
“I used to think that as an aspiring entrepreneur, all I need is money to realise my dreams hence the reason why I knocked and got turned down at financing institutions like LEA, CEDA just to mention a few,” he said.
According to Kealopa, TEF helped him see entrepreneurship in a different direction hence the reason for his success at the moment. He urged young people to take advantage of the opportunity to apply as their intention this year is to at least help 5,000 entrepreneurs from Botswana apply.