Botswana: MYSC executive met with Youth business owners for the Youth Sector Sub-HLCC meeting to discuss issues that affect youth entrepreneurs in the country. The forum is mandated to create an enabling environment for youth to debate emerging issues and challenges encountered in entrepreneurship.
Minister Tumiso Rakgare stressed that such interactions with youth business owners will go a long way in helping MYSC engage more with its stakeholders for feedback to improve service delivery in facilitating youth entrepreneurs. “This will reduce the number of complaints we get from Business Botswana, especially young entrepreneurs”, he said.
He emphasised that stakeholders should instigate the Culture of team work as unpacking and solving challenges faced by youth entrepreneurs together as one sector will contribute towards the development of youth businesses. Offering solutions to problems that threaten entrepreneurship became one of the many aspects discussed in length.
Minister Rakgare voiced out possible partnerships with other Ministries to gauge a way forward to protect and support youth-owned businesses. “If we do not assist them wherever we can, their enterprises are bound to fail. We would all have failed in the end”, he added.
The committee resolved that there’s a need for introspection and improvement in areas that seem to delay production. Minister Rakgare explained that in order to stimulate local production and increase demand while putting into practice cost cutting measures, all concerned parties should work together.
Business Botswana Youth Sector Chairman Mr Pako Sebetlela advised MYSC to review policy reforms put in place to assist youth to have an equitable and fair share of the economy. He said there is a dire need to capacitate the youth so that they play a lead role in industries that contribute significantly to GDP growth.
The Chairman applauded MYSC for formulating youth empowerment programs to assist youth across its portfolios. He also commended the Ministry for its sheer bravery to bid for AFCON 2027 and assured the audience of Business Botswana’s support for the bid to become a success.
