Local entrepreneurship program expands into Africa
Project 124, a training program for aspiring and high- level African entrepreneurs, has launched its annual training program under the theme, ‘ Building for impact and profitability.’ The training program was established in 2016 and has branched out to several African countries where participants are exposed to business training classes, mentoring sessions with leading business people in, and virtual training from a leading USA software company. Executive Program Manager, Goitsemang Khutsafalo notes that this year their entrepreneurship program has over 108 local companies and additional participants from across Africa including Ghana, Ethiopia, Lesotho, and Uganda. Khutsafalo says their program is built largely on practical work. They give entrepreneurs an opportunity to get first- hand experience on how to better run their enterprises on a day- to- day basis through various challenges and tasks which are designed to improve the way they conduct business. Khutsafalo notes that in pursuit of uplifting African companies, the organisation has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with a USA training and technology company called Hubspot. The partnership was birthed at the Forbes summit that took place in Gaborone earlier this year. He notes that it was at the Forbes summit that he met a representative from Hubspot who was keen on expanding their company into Africa. “Hubspot provides entrepreneurs under the Project 124 banner with access to training material and technological software applications which could cost thousands of pula to access for free”. New cohorts will have access to technologies that will enhance their businesses, build websites, and access Artificial Intelligence applicants that make business systems simpler for free.
Furthermore, Project 124 helps entrepreneurs migrate into digital entrepreneurship. Khutsafalo believes that because the pandemic has shown the business world the importance of migrating into the digital space therefore any business that will thrive in the future must learn how to survive in the digital space.
He urges young entrepreneurs to take advantage of the opportunities that are present in Botswana as they are not available in other countries.
Botswana is the only country where one can find companies willing to invest in small medium enterprises ( SME) without taking any stake in the SME, a noble act that other entrepreneurs in other nations envy. Managing Director of Hollard Botswana, Bilkiss Moorad explains that Project 124 is going to build the future. Moorad notes that the partnership between the two organisations stems from shared values that will empower society. Moorad appreciates that Project 124 has grown over the years and has become an entity that many people use to grow their enterprises. A young farmer Paki Radithomiso who has joined this year’s program because he is encountering some difficulties in operating his business wants to learn new skills that will help him rise above the challenges. Head of marketing at Organic Natural Skincare, Loiusa April said she decided to join the Project 124 because she wants to learn the digital tools that can help accelerate their growth and to network with other businesses.