Gaborone – In an era where Innovation and Entrepreneurial spirit are crucial to Economic Growth and Societal Development, BA ISAGO University has taken a significant step forward. By partnering with These Hands Global, Social and Sustainable Enterprise (GSSE) through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), the University is poised to revolutionise how Entrepreneurial capacity is built in Botswana and beyond.
At the heart of this Collaboration lies a shared vision to nurture and develop the Entrepreneurial skills of Students and Community Members, transforming ideas into viable business ventures that drive Economic Growth and create jobs. By combining the Academic rigor and resources of BA ISAGO University with the practical, hands-on approach of These Hands GSSE, this Partnership is set to create a dynamic ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship. Through this Partnership, BA ISAGO University, this morning announced the launch of their Short-Term Training in Creative Design Thinking. Design Thinking is an International phenomenon to business ideation and is a non-linear, iterative approach used by Teams or Communities to tackle challenges, redefine problems and devise innovative solutions for testing and prototyping. The Partners anticipate that delegates who come for and complete the training will depart with tangible prototypes ready to be presented to investors.
According to These Hands GSSE Co-Founder, CEO and Lead Instructor, Mr Thabiso Mashaba, a study by the Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) and the University of Botswana revealed that despite substantial Government and Private Sector Investments, many Batswana Entrepreneurs struggle to build sustainable businesses due to a lack of formal training before receiving funding. He pointed out that in countries like Rwanda, entrepreneurs undergo development programs before receiving financial support.
“Our Creative Design Thinking Short Programmes aims to fill this gap by introducing participants to These Hands GSSE’s Co-Creative Design Thinking and Business Thinking Process. This bottom-up approach empowers Participants to understand and tackle Community challenges using local resources and sustainable business practices,” he said.
Furthermore, Mashaba stated that this initiative seeks to equip Participants with holistic Entrepreneurial Skills including innovation, Leadership and Business acumen.
Given the Government’s current focus on bolstering locally owned enterprises across various sectors such as catering, bottled water and transportation services, this Programme aligns perfectly with the goal of empowering Batswana with the necessary tools to thrive in a competitive market environment.
The training will span over 10 days and will cover a range of topics including an introduction to the Co-Creative Design Thinking Process, Empathy exercises, problem identification, idea generation, solution prototyping, testing, gathering feedback and community showcasing. Participants will undergo informal assessments and continuous evaluation to gauge their progress and performance throughout the course.
According to BA ISAGO University, Center for Professional Development Consultancy Manager Mr Zenzo Dube, the Programme will equip both Administrators of initiatives such as the recently launched Government initiative of Chema Chema fund and Informal Sector Startups with the skills to appraise, mentor, fund and scale innovative projects significantly impacting Batswana by creating Sustainable Employment opportunities. He added that to ensure participants apply their skills in real-world ventures, they will join These Hands GSSE’s USSD-based Social Network Platform after the course which provides ongoing support and connects Participants with like-minded individuals, allowing BA ISAGO University and These Hands GSSE to monitor progress and provide necessary Resources or Technical support.
Ultimately, the aim is to cultivate a cadre of Individuals capable of spearheading successful ventures in a rapidly evolving Business landscape. BA ISAGO University and These Hands GSSE are enthusiastic about engaging with Batswana through this transformative training opportunity and collaboration which is aligned with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). By promoting Entrepreneurship, BA ISAGO University and These Hands will contribute to creating decent work opportunities and fostering innovation, which are critical components of Sustainable Development in Botswana and across the Globe.
