1

THE Youth SMEs

BANKING CONFERENC & EXHIBITION 2014
Contents
Executive Summery 1
About The Conference 2
Objectives 3
Programme Of Events 4
Partners 5-7
Benefts To Participating Organizations 8
Conclusion 9
1
THE Youth SMEs
BANKING CONFERENC & EXHIBITION 2014
Executive Summery
Youth unemployment has consequences for the
development of a country as a whole and Botswana
cannot aford to underutilise the asset that young
people represent. It is therefore necessary to implement
inclusion strategies such as youth entrepreneurship.
The 2011 Population and Housing Census indicated that,
of the total population of 2 024 904 persons, 43% of the
population was aged below 20 years, while 35% was aged
between 20 to 40 years. Furthermore an estimated 38%
of Botswanas population falls within the 15 35 years
age category. This translates to approximately 806 500
young people. Young people today face unprecedented
socio economic challenges with unemployment
topping the list, having gainful employment and an
active participation in the main stream economy is
indeed the key ingredient in curbing and eradicating a
majority of the said challenges. According to the Global
Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) of 2012, 76% of young
Batswana would like to set up their own business.
However young people lack funding opportunities as
well sustainable banking options. Banking and cash fow
is an important part of doing business, but if the cost of
opening the bank account is not afordable to youth
or if the balance required to maintain that account is
huge, it becomes impossible for youth to have business
accounts. Furthermore young people are easily put of by
the documentation procedures and information required
by many commercial lenders of credit. Particularly funds
requiring less or no collaterals but that charge very
high interest rates and fees often have more complex
documentation procedures. Another problem is the time
needed to decide on an application for funding. Thus,
improving access to fnance is primordial.
To overcome these barriers, a youth-friendly regulatory
environment that recognizes the needs of youth, and
is both inclusive and protective of youth is essential.
Increased access to fnancial services and increased
fnancial capability to use those services efectively to
invest in their education, enterprises, and futures may
provide that beacon. Financial education and
entrepreneurship development can also assist youth
in taking greatest advantage of the fnancial services
available. Government policies and incentives can help
stimulate the fnancial sector to design appropriate
fnancial products as well as innovative banking
solutions. Achieving successful youth fnancial inclusion
requires a multi-stakeholder approach, that engages
government (including policy makers, regulators, and
line ministries), Financial Service Providers (FSPs), Youth
Service Organizations (YSOs), other youth stakeholders,
as well as youth SMEs themselves. That is why Maflla
Promotions & the Botswana National Youth Council
have collaborated to provide a forum for all these
stakeholders to address these challenges in the form
of a half day conference and a mini exhibition dubbed
the Youth SMEs Banking Conference & Exhibition
2014. The theme for this years inaugural conference &
exhibition is:
Shapi ng
Yout h
SME s Vi a
Sust ai nabl e
Fi nanci al
Sol ut i ons.
2
THE Youth SMEs
BANKING CONFERENC & EXHIBITION 2014
About The Conference
The inaugural Youth SMEs Banking Conference
& Exhibition 2014 will be in the form of a half day
conference. It will bring together youth run SMEs,
government (including policy makers, regulators, and
line ministries), Financial Service Providers (FSPs),
fnancial experts, Youth Service Organizations (YSOs)
& other youth stakeholders. The theme is Shaping
Youth SMEs Via Sustainable Financial Solutions. The
conference will see all the banks in Botswana as well
as other Financial Service Providers (FSPs) getting a
platform to explain their product ofering particularly
for Youth Small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The
conference also seeks to devise ways to improve access
to funding by the youth given that youth fnancing is the
major impediment and discouragement to young people
starting a business. When the conference concludes at
12pm, participants will then proceed to the conference
exhibition hall where will have the diferent partner
organizations having booths. This exercise will take an
hour before the business of the day concludes.
Event date
August 7
th
2014
Event Theme
Shaping Youth SMEs Via Sustainable Financial
Solutions
Event type
Half day conference & Exhibition
Event Venue
UB Library auditorium
Guest Speaker
To Be Confrmed
Duration & Time
8am-1pm
PAX
150 delegates
Entrance Fees
Free (Participants will have to registrar prior to the event)
Organizers
BNYC
Event Managers
Maflla Promotions
Contacts
3939735
71877234 / mafpro@gmail.com
71223309 / tkmosieyane@gmail.com
3
THE Youth SMEs
BANKING CONFERENC & EXHIBITION 2014
Objectives
1. To bring youth owned enterprises & Financial Service Providers (FSPs)
under one roof to deliberate on improving banking solutions for Small
and medium enterprises (SMEs).
2. To explore the diferent SMEs banking solutions provided by the
diferent banking/fnancial institutions in Botswana.
3. To get expert analysis on the challenges faced by youth run enterprises
with regard to SME banking.
4. To get feedback from the youth on the business banking difculties
experienced when dealing with the diferent banks.
5. To come up with practical solutions and interventions to improve SME
banking in Botswana.
6. To provide a platform for diferent banking and fnancial institutions to
disseminate information on their respective SME banking solutions.
7. To establish the impact banking solutions have on SMEs.
8. To improve access to funding by SMEs.
9. Encourage FSPs to adopt industry standards of client protection and
youth-friendly products.
10. Stimulate and support the fnancial sector to design appropriate
fnancial products that are consistent with the youth business banking
needs.
11. Explore the benefts of why SMEs should join organizations that help
SMEs such as LEA & BOCCIM.
12. To ofer TAX education as well as insight on the government tendering
process to youth SMEs.
Programme Of Events
TIME (AM) ACTIVITY SPEAKER ORGANIZATION
0700-0800 Registration
0800-0810 Welcome Speech TBC BNYC
0810-0825 Presentation by LEA LEA
0825-0840 Presentation by Barclays Barclays Bank
0840-0855 Presentation by Stanbic Stanbic Bank
0855-0915 Question & Answer Session
0915-0930 Presentation by FNB FNB
09:30-0950 Presentation by guest TBC
0950-1000 Question & Answer Session
1000-1030 Morning Tea
1030-1045 Presentation by PPADB PPADB
1045-1100 Presentation by NDB NDB
1100-1115 Presentation by BIUST BIUST
1115-1130
Presentation by CEDA
CEDA
1130-1150 Question & Answer session
1150-1205 Presentation by Banc ABC Banc ABC
1205-1220
Presentation by Botswana
Stock Exchange
Botswana Stock
Exchange
1220-1230 Question & Answer Session
1230-1235 Closing Remarks Maflla Promotions
1235-1300
Participants go to
the diferent stalls of
participating institutions
1300 Lunch & Departures
5
THE Youth SMEs
BANKING CONFERENC & EXHIBITION 2014
Partners
Event Managers
Other Sponsors
6
THE Youth SMEs
BANKING CONFERENC & EXHIBITION 2014
Benefts To Participating
Organizations
The Youth SMEs Banking Conference and Exhibition 2014
represents an ideal way for our partner organizations
to reach their target audience (Youth SMEs) at a time
when they are focused on discovering what is on ofer
by the various fnancial institutions to empower their
enterprises. Whether you are looking for an opportunity
to meet and talk with prospects or just want to establish
your frm as a leader, this is an opportunity for you. No
other conference & Exhibition in Botswana ofers our
partners an intimate and more direct contact with Youth
SMEs. Other extended benefts include;
Be one of the frst partner organizations to
participate at this exciting and ground breaking
event.
By being part of the event, you will be showing
your commitment to the national agenda of youth
economic empowerment.
You put your organization in front of a select, elite
youth audience, to powerfully communicate your
companys message regarding SME banking.
Free expert analysis from the leading fnancial
expert in Botswana on how partner organizations
can create Youth friendly SMEs products and
services.
You are guaranteed of a full house which means full
exposure given that the conference is a free entry
event to all Youth SMEs.
You demonstrate your organizations willingness to
come to the table to deliberate and fnd avenues of
improving access to fnance by Youth SMEs.
To explain in detail the products and services that
your organization is ofering that are Taylor-made
for Youth SMEs.
Get positive feedback on how your organization is
welcoming to youth SMEs and how it can improve
on its faws. This will also be an opportunity to get
the latest trends from the youth and get to know
what kind of product ofering you should omit or
introduce.
Get to exhibit your products and services at the
exhibition booths after the conference to increase
brand awareness, impact sales and showcase your
corporate image.
The opportunity to mingle with these young
business people and have one on one networking
sessions at the exhibition.
The event will give you an opportunity to explore
avenues of Private Public Partnerships (PPPs) with
other partner organizations present.
You generate new contacts, and renewed interest
for your products & services.
Get a platform to garner mileage since members of
the media will be present.
Get to check out what the competition is ofering.
Government bodies/parastatals will get an
opportunity to educate and inform about the tax
process, tendering process as well as the type of
fnancing available for youth SMEs.
7
THE Youth SMEs
BANKING CONFERENC & EXHIBITION 2014
Conclusion
The Youth SMEs Banking Conference and Exhibition 2014 rThere is an
urgent need for us to focus our attention on investing in the growth and
development of young people. The labour market today gives todays
generation of young people very few employment opportunities given
the high demand, entrepreneurship has therefore become a viable
alternative for many a young man and woman in Botswana. Financial
factors as noted by the 2012 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report on
Botswana continue to be some of the impeding factors to young people
doing business in the country. It is indeed a necessity to create and host a
platform that will address the various fnancial issues surrounding Youth
run SMEs as well as how the banking sector can actively work towards
creating youth friendly services and products. The YOUTH SMEs BANKING
CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION is such a platform that will work towards
creating meaningful dialogue in an efort to bring out meaningful solutions
that will work well towards improving youth fnancial services. We implore
you to partner with us as we move towards ensuring that our nations
young is empowered through fnancial services and products ofered in
their country. The Botswana National Youth Council has embarked on a
campaign to create 50 000 jobs by the year 2019, the conference comes
as an initiative to create a conducive fnancial services and products
environment for our nations young. We look forward to working with you
in realizing this event and in contributing to the empowerment of young
people in Botswana.