The EEDP was only open to Debswana employees and the mining company delivered the training through a partnership with two renowned institutions, Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) and Neuro Leadership Institute. The EEDP programme had four components that the employees were taught being Entrepreneurship Skills Development, Entrepreneurial Mindset Development, Enterprise Development Support and Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Acceleration.
Jwaneng Mine acting general manager, Kologano Banabotlhe revealed that the programme is a strategy by the mining company to better the lives of people and move workers from being mere employees to business owners.
“The EEDP is designed to create first class entrepreneurs, build globally competitive enterprises and catalyse Botswana’s entrepreneurship ecosystem,” he said.
Furthermore, the acting GM said he hopes that the graduates will see the programme as a great pipeline for them to start their own enterprises and prepare for life after retirement.
“Often times when people retire, they hit a stumbling block in their lives as they have nothing to do. “But we remain confident that EEDP will really be of great help to our employees to live a better life after retirement as they have everything they need now to start their own enterprises,” Banabotlhe said.
Steven Baatshwana, who is a business coach, implored Batswana in general to take up more interest in entrepreneurship which he said could help eradicate poverty.
“Take interest in entrepreneurship and always think of starting something of your own and do not let fear put you off,” he said. “The salary you earn at your current jobs, you could use some of it to start your own things and help the country prosper by creating employment opportunities for others and get to pay them.”
At the graduation ceremony, one of the graduates, Mpho Molefhakgotla gave thanks to Debswana for equipping them with skills for entrepreneurship.
“This is really the way the company is giving back to us. “They want us to go and start our own businesses as they have equipped us with the skills and knowledge that we need to establish enterprises,” Molefhakgotla said.
