BY BANELE MAGONGO
MBABANE – The BSA Training Centre has today awarded entrepreneurship certificates to 38 Mbabane East residents.
This took place during a graduation ceremony held at BSA Training Centre in Mbabane. The graduation is a result of an initiative started by the BSA Training Centre, in collaboration with Mbabane East Member of Parliament Welcome Dlamini.
It must be stated that the BSA is doing this programme in all the constituencies in the countries, with constituencies such as Motshane and Mbabane East being one of those that have already benefitted from this programme. Constituencies such as Mbabane West and Siphocosini are set to be immediate beneficiaries, if things go according to plan.
During the ceremony, graduates from Mbabane East praised the program for providing them with the skills and knowledge of starting and running a successful business.
The Mbabane East MP was invited to be part of the programme. However, due to national commitments, he could not be able to attend and Eswatini Positive News (EPN) Director Mbongeni Ndlela attended the function on his behalf.
Ndlela thanked the graduates for taking advantage of the opportunity, noting that it was a rare one. He encouraged the graduates to apply what they had learned, and said that he would be available to provide any needed assistance in the future. The EPN Director emphasised the importance of patience and perseverance in business, stating to the graduates that things would not be easy, as they embarked on their entrepreneurship journey. That was when the patience and perseverance would come in handy.
BSA Training Centre CEO Sandile Fakudze expressed his gratitude to the BSA leadership for always prioritising Emaswati, as they acknowledged His Majesty the King’s NKWE directive he gave to all Emaswati to do all they could to improve the country’s economy. In that spirit, BSA reduced its fees so that Emaswati could afford the education. The entrepreneurship program, according to Fakudze, was E3 800 now it was charged at E650. He appreciated the MP who decided to come up with the sponsor to change the lives of people from Mbabane East.
The graduates received advice from experienced businesswoman Lindo Sikonela, who shared her journey as a woman in business. She advised the graduates to be professional and have a clear vision for their goals. Sikonela stressed the importance of persistence, even in the face of challenges, and she shared her personal experience of struggling with a lack of liquor license and police harassment. Despite these difficulties, she never gave up and eventually found success. She also reminded the graduates to prioritise customer service, as customers were the foundation of any business.
Sikonela shared her journey with BSA Director Bongani Dlamini, who had been instrumental in supporting her when she was looking for a place to set up her business. Sikonela expressed gratitude for the Director support and spoke highly of his efforts to help small businesses succeed. She stated that the Dlamini’s assistance was crucial in getting her business off the ground.
