Debswana Diamond Company has been working with a number of tailors who are part of its Textile Accelerator Programme to empower Small Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) in the textile sector. To date Debswana has awarded the 34 beneficiaries of the Textile Accelerator Programme orders to produce personal protective (PPE) clothing worth 20.4 million Pula. The programme has also expanded to other markets including producing school uniforms and partnering with other mining house to capacitated tailors to produce PPE.
Earlier this year, one of the beneficiaries of the Textile Accelerator Programme, MJT Mabogo, a business in Boteti was awarded a Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) certification on General Protective Clothing. Modester Joyce Tekanyo described this milestone achievement as a gateway for her to participate in the greater global textile markets. Last year Debswana acquired nine sewing machines to help Phonda Fashions based in Tormoja village expand its business after enrolling in the programme.
Corporate Affairs Manager – Socio Economic Development, Patrick Mokwele highlighted this programme is part of Debswana commitment to empower citizen and make life brilliant our host communities and the nation at large. The beneficiaries were selected from manufacturing, branding and embroidery companies most of which are from vulnerable and disadvantaged populations such as women, youth and people living with disabilities. “To date the programme has increased capacity, compliance to quality standards and facilitated access funding institutions and other PPEs market in mining and other sectors of the economy for SMMEs,” Mokwele noted.
Key to the continued success of the programme is to capacitated the beneficiaries on corporate governance structures, empowering tailors on supervision and ensuring functionality of subcommittees (logistics, quality control systems, disciplinary and finance) as well as setting up the project communication structure.
The Textile Accelerator Programme was born out of a partnership between Tokafala Enterprise Development Programme, Local Enterprise Authority and Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) to empower SMMEs in the textile sector in production of, among other garments, Personal Protective Clothing (PPE), uniforms and other textile and apparel products. The objective of the programme is to build capacity amongst the local SMMEs to be able to participate in various private and public sector supply chains.
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For more information, please contact:
Matshidiso Kamona
Senior Corporate Affairs Manager – Brand and Stakeholder Relations
Debswana Diamond Company
Mobile: +267 – 71330897
About Debswana
Debswana Diamond Company was established in 1969, and it is owned in equal shares by the Government of the Republic of Botswana and De Beers Group. It is one of the world’s leading diamond producers by value and volume. Debswana operates four diamond mines in Orapa, Letlhakane, Damtshaa and Jwaneng. The company is a major contributor to the national economy of Botswana – contributing significantly to the gross domestic product, foreign exchange earnings and government revenues. Debswana is one of the largest private sector employers, with over 5500 employees and over 6000 contractors. Debswana is also the largest contributor to the De Beers Group rough diamond production. The company is committed to mining safely, optimally and responsibly, as well as making a meaningful contribution to the development of communities around its mines and the nation at large, thus making life brilliant. For further information visit www.debswana.com.
