Young graduate beads while job hunting

Agang Bakwena, 23, has decided to venture into small business to avoid becoming a statistic among the 87 000 unemployed graduates in the country. Bakwena holds a Degree in Business Entrepreneurship and Leadership, yet to graduate from Botswana Accountancy College (BAC) soon and she is of the view that small businesses are much better than awaiting jobs.

The young entrepreneur utilised an opportunity at the recent Pottery and Beading workshop organised for women in Jwaneng. She took part in beading and immediately learnt her lesson so well which she says will sustain her in future. “This is going to be my part time job while I continue with job hunting. I have decided to use the skills acquired from the course because I have learnt how to manage a business,” she said. She is grateful to Jwaneng mine for bringing such an opportunity to change people’s lives.

“Staying at home doing nothing really pains because as graduates we end up giving up in life forgetting that we can still improve the economy of the country than depending on our qualifications and government jobs,” she said adding that young graduates should stand up to do something that could bring in money and change lives. She caught Sun Business’ attention with her ready-made work which she learnt just in one day. Her teacher, Siphiwe Mushabi said that she started beading in 2008, when she realised that locals buy these products from South Africa.

“If we unite and continue beading different products we might as well open a trust and also export like other countries and even sell to tourists,” she said adding that Debswana touches their lives in different ways. Bakwena has already taken in some orders. As the starting point she will be focusing on neck pieces and head ropes. “I have already noticed that these two are in high demand in the market so far. So I will be doing ear rings and wrist bands only if someone orders them,” she explained.