Debswana Diamond Company has launched a textile project which is expected to empower Small Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) in the textile sector.
Debswana has collaborated with 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 project is to build capacity amongst the local SMMEs to be able to participate in various private and public sector supply chains. The project is also expected to increase productive capacity, compliance to quality standards which is expected to facilitate access to expansion funding and other PPEs market in mining and other sectors of the economy for SMMEs.
As part of this partnership, Debswana has funded the project to the tune of P4 million towards purchase of textile machinery for qualifying SMMEs to increase their capacity to be able to participate in the project. Through the project, Debswana will provide a market opportunity to supply its operations with PPE. Thirty-four (34) beneficiaries comprising of producers from Debswana host communities and nationally have been selected to benefit under the tripartite partnership. The enterprises were selected from manufacturing, branding & embroidery companies most of which are from vulnerable and disadvantaged populations such as women, youth and people living with disabilities