HRDC Participates at The Shoshong Constituency Investment Promotion Show 2016

The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) takes into cognisance the fact that community engagement is pivotal as part of its drive towards fostering and enhancing stakeholder confidence and satisfaction amongst communities in Botswana.

In recognition of the fact that communities around Botswana have the right to be informed, educated, consulted, involved and empowered and ultimately be persuaded, in this vein HRDC participated at the Shoshong Constituency Investment Promotion Show.  

During the two - day event that took place from the 25th – 26th November, 2016, HRDC successfully engaged myriad stakeholders consisting of work – places, levy – payers, learners, Tertiary Education Providers (TEPs) and investors Stakeholders simply wanted to know more about the mandate of HRDC as they were eagerly asked questions that revealed that they wanted to know what HRDC ‘had in store’ for them.

The Constituency Investment Promotion activities started with a fundraising dinner that was held at Shoshong Senior Secondary School (SSSS). The purpose of these activities were to mobilise resources for the Adopt – A - School Programme for the Constituency. HRDC proved its Corporate Citizenship values and contributed P2, 000.00 towards this noble gesture. The warm morning breeze of the 26th November kicked – off with unveiling of and launch of the Shoshong Constituency Tourism Trail Map. It was then followed by presentations on mining and tourism investment opportunities in the Constituency. Invited participants included Education and Training Providers, Government departments, Parastatal organisations, as well as private companies who exhibited their products and services to members of the community.

Speaking during the official opening, the Member of Parliament for Shoshong and also Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Honourable Phillip Dikgang Makgalemele highlighted that his Constituency has trained 10 people in Rural Entrepreneurship through the Indian High Commission as well as two women on Solar Electrification. “These Investments are key to job creation and eradicating poverty” he affirmed. Furthermore, Hon Minister Makgalemele elatedly said, “Shoshong comes afar with its opulent history, chiefly when it comes to luring investors into the country. It was one of the villages where trade used to take place as early as the 1800s and if it continued with the trade legacy it would be one of the prominent cities or towns in Botswana.”

Ms Elizabeth Makwabe elaborated on the Kilimanjaro Co-operative Bank Limited (KCBL) whose main objective is to assist people at grassroots level with obtaining adequate financial services. A Co-operative (also known as co-operative, co-op) is an autonomous association of people united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled business. Mr. Lekwalo L. Mosienyane, a renowned entrepreneur and President of Business Botswana (BB) who was the guest speaker at the event asserted, “I am pleased to see a blue print for investment promotion in the Shoshong area. I am particularly commending you because the past five years of planning has 

indeed identified areas of improvement. Our country is a peaceful country worth investing in therefore, I am confident that investors would not hesitate to come forth and create jobs and many other opportunities which would be available for the betterment of the constituency”. 

These are noble opportunities that undoubtedly assist the citizens of the Shoshong Constituency by taking them out of poverty.  He said it was commendable to see people coming together to help develop their village, therefore luring investors and helping local businesses from their constituency reach bigger markets.”

In conclusion, Mr. Mosienyane further thanked and applauded the Honourable MP’s office for inviting diverse business people across the borders of Botswana to invest in agriculture, business, and mining within the Constituency.

The Shoshong Constituency Investment Promotion Show culminated in the launch of a partnership in production of solar power energy that would see the generation of solar energy through village cooperatives improving the lives of the community.

 

 

News Date: 
Saturday, November 26, 2016