A group of 51 people with disabilities took part in an entrepreneurship training workshop supported by Coca-Cola Beverages Botswana (CCBB) last week.
The workshop aimed to empower individuals with disabilities by equipping them with the skills, knowledge and resources to manage their own businesses.
The highly interactive and practical workshop was structured to address the unique challenges faced by people with disabilities and foster an inclusive business environment.
Topics covered included identifying personal strengths, goal setting, networking and building diverse teams, seeking financial support, leveraging assistive technology, adaptation and innovation, customer experience, and importantly, staying resilient and finding purpose in the entrepreneurial journey.
The programme’s impact highlights the potential for individuals with disabilities to contribute actively to the business landscape. The trainers used exercises and team competitions to illustrate the concepts and make the training more practical.
The workshop was officially opened by CCBB public affairs, communications and sustainability specialist Omphile Masendu.
“At CCBB, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, we are a proud industry leader in developing increasingly sustainable ways to manufacture, distribute and sell our products,” said Masendu.
“We use our industry leadership to be part of the solution to achieve positive change in the world and to build a more sustainable future for our planet.
“Our aim is to create greater shared opportunity for the business and the communities we serve across the value-chain. Opportunity is more than just money, it’s about a better future for people and their communities everywhere on the African continent.”
CCBB has adopted two pillars to underpin the framework of its economic inclusion strategy, employability and entrepreneurship.
“Our aim is to boost income, provide sustainable earning potential and improve skills and business knowledge for women, youth and people with disabilities, resulting in them accessing better opportunities,” said Masendu.
“Our entrepreneurship programmes focus on initiatives that provide our target groups with the opportunity to take an existing business to a higher level of operation. Our employability programmes focus on programmes that up-skill, re-skill or provide other opportunities that enhance prospects of finding sustainable employment.
“The success of these programmes will be defined by the extent to which we boost income, unlock sustainable earning potential, improve skills, and business knowledge for our target groups, resulting in access to economic opportunities.
“Whether donating money, our time or our expertise, we take our responsibility to the communities we call home seriously,” Masendu said.
The workshop was conducted in partnership with the Botswana Council for the Disabled.
The event was officially closed by Masendu after handing out certificates of attendance to the participants.
The training was highly successful, as evidenced by the high turnout and the enthusiasm and active participation by the attendees. It provided entrepreneurs with disabilities with practical strategies for building and growing sustainable enterprises.
The attendees left the workshop with key take aways on how to further realign their enterprises to remain relevant and future fit. Each participant was also given a workbook offering strategies for how to sustain and evolve an enterprise for it to remain agile and adaptable.
