The SADC-DFRC in collaboration with the local DFIs in Botswana – National Development Bank, Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency, Local Enterprise Authority, Botswana Development Corporation, Botswana Housing Corporation and Botswana Savings Bank –  and a partner organization, the Botswana National Productivity Centre, launched the Journey to Excellence SMME Mentoring Programme in Gaborone on the 2nd September 2008. Besides the DFIs, attendees at the launch included SMMEs, mentors, representatives of the Botswana business community, senior government officials and representatives of International Cooperating Partners.

The event will be followed by workshop and mentoring of SMMEs on the Journey to Excellence led by Ms Nina Mapili and Ms Unami Mpofu, HRD Project consultants under the auspices of the SADC-DFRC as sponsors. The programme seeks to improve the productivity and competitiveness of SMMEs with the objective of achieving organizational excellence and sustainability.

In his opening remarks, Mr Stuart Kufeni, CEO of SADC-DFRC, welcomed the launch of the SMME mentoring project in Botswana, particularly the immense socio-economic benefits it would bring to the country.  “The SMME Business Mentoring Programme seeks to link small business owners across the SADC region to adopt best practices in their quest for financial sustainability and growth.  It provides an opportunity for SMEs to acquire new skills and develop growth plans and strategies, to better equip the SMEs to face the many challenges that today’s highly competitive and rapidly changing global market place presents”,  said Mr Kufeni.  According to Mr Kufeni, the programme offers long lasting skills, networking with other business owners and access to an experienced business person who will help the entrepreneur to focus on the issues and plans that will make a difference.

The guest of honour, the Executive Director for Botswana National Productivity Centre (BNPC), Mr Thembo Lebang, appealed to all attendees to acknowledge the good work that the SADC-DFRC was embarking upon.  He further urged the Botswana Government to review its policies to enable the SMMEs to access the services of parastatals like BNPC.  Services provided by BNPC are critical for the sustenance of the SMMEs but such parastatals are out of reach of most SMMEs. He mentioned that such a review could improve SMME access to services if these were to be turned to public goods.

Botswana becomes the third SADC country to undertake the Journey to Excellence SMME Mentoring Programme following the successful launch of similar programmes in Lesotho and Namibia also facilitated by the SADC DFRC.  The programme will be rolled out in other SADC countries overtime.