Mogomotsi Moloi
27 March 2008
Gaborone — Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) has revamped its mentoring programme by adopting an assignment-based approach.
CEDA research and public relations office manager Oabile Regoeng said the move is part of a drive to improve services. He stated that with the new assignment based mentoring approach, CEDA identifies skills' gap at the project appraisal stage with a view to helping the potential investor to refine and better develop their business ideas, plans and other matters deemed critical to set up a business.
The objective of the new approach is to enhance prospects of success. Regoeng indicated that CEDA has post-approval mentoring services. The mentoring system has two different programmes. One is concerned with implementation mentoring while the other is needs-based. Under implementation mentoring, a qualified mentor or consultant is appointed to assist the borrower with the implementation schedule of the project. This is meant to ensure proper implementation and development of the project until it becomes operational.
Regoeng said needs-based or turnaround mentoring is done when the business is operational. "This is where the business is operational and a specific need is identified or required for a project, or where a specific problem exists and there is need to come up with a turnaround strategy to save the project." In addition to the different mentoring services, CEDA provides training in different areas of business. These include industry specific training or any other training considered relevant following identification of a need. Regoeng told Business Today that the funding component is intended to make credit easily available, while the entrepreneurial services are meant to enhance good business management. CEDA intends to help its customers acquire the necessary business skills and competencies, build capacity, and keep the businesses competitive and afloat in a fast changing business environment.
Regoeng said that since its inception, CEDA has undertaken a number of initiatives to streamline its processes and operations. The organisation has reviewed its branch network to determine their usefulness and purpose. "The finding of the review has importantly revealed that the general inflow of applications to some of the 12 branches countrywide has decreased and as a result, the portfolio growth slowed down. It was therefore found that they are not cost effective and it is not in the best interest of CEDA to continue keeping a structural presence in places like Serowe, Mahalapye and Mochudi," said Regoeng. He added that, based on the findings of the review and as part of the continued effort to enhance efficiency in service delivery, a business decision was taken to merge Serowe and Mahalapye offices and relocate them to Palapye.
Palapye was preferred because it is centrally located to serve Serowe, Mahalapye, Tswapong and surrounding places. The relocation to Palapye will take place next month. "Mochudi office has been merged with Gaborone north branch. The merging and relocation of these offices is expected to benefit customers in that CEDA will be able to pool together its resources. Customers will benefit from the pooling of resources," he said. He added that it was clear that most people from Mochudi get their supplies and services from Gaborone. The relocation is therefore expected to minimise movement of people back and forth between Mochudi and Gaborone.
Regoeng said these changes demonstrate most eloquently how CEDA is committed to development and support of citizen businesses and the fulfillment of other programme objectives. The introduction of CEDA in 2001 was aimed at redirecting efforts to deal with constraints affecting development of citizen businesses and to stimulate meaningful citizen participation in the economy. It was meant to encourage and promote citizen entrepreneurial culture and skills, create employment opportunities and help diversify the economy.
Based on its project and loan application evaluation criteria of market availability, projected profitability and sustainability, sound management and anticipated growth of the business, CEDA has approved about 1,700 investment transactions worth over P900 million in loans to citizen businesses in various sectors and sub-sectors of the economy under its soft window fund only. These projects have helped to create and retain about 9,000 full time jobs.
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