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CEDA LAUNCHES BRAILLE APPLICATION & BUSINESS PLAN FORMS

Tuesday, December 10, 2019 - 07:00 to Saturday, December 10, 2022 - 07:00

In an effort to improve financial inclusion of special groups CEDA adopted a disability mainstreaming agenda in April 2016. This agenda culminated in the Agency adopting the four thematic areas as prescribed by the Government. As a result CEDA, has committed to improvement of inclusiveness for People with Disabilities, by transcribing of its business plan forms and loan application forms to braille. This project was done in conjunction with the Botswana Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted (BABPS). This is a pilot project aimed at gauging the uptake of the forms by the blind and partially sighted community country wide.

CEO's TALKING POINTS

 

Director of Ceremonies,

Representative of the Office of the President

Representative of the Ministry of Investment Trade and Industry

Coordinator Botswana Association of the Blind & Partially Sighted (BABPS), Mr. Ramabokwa

Representative of Pudulogong Rehabilitation and Development Trust

Distinguished Guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen;

Good Afternoon.

  1. It gives me great pleasure and honour to be standing before you this afternoon as we launch the “CEDA Braille Application and Business Plan Forms” as we aim to tackle issues of financial inclusion.

 

  1. I wish to express my gratitude to all of you for attending the long awaited official launch of these documents. Let me extend a special thank you to the Botswana Association of the Blind & Partially Sighted (BABPS) for the good job they did in transcribing these forms.

 

  1. In an effort to improve financial inclusion of special groups CEDA adopted a disability mainstreaming agenda in April 2016. This agenda culminated in the Agency adopting the four thematic areas as prescribed by the Government Disability Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. The four thematic areas are:

 

  1. Improvement of Physical Facilities Accessibility
  2. Promotion of Economic Empowerment of People with Disabilities
  3. Improvement of Public Awareness
  4. Development of Monitoring and Evaluation Systems

 

  1. The Agency then developed an annual plan in line with these thematic areas with mainstreaming activities on PWDs. The areas covered included project funding, procurement from companies owned by PWDs, training, mentoring, outreaches, etc.

 

  1. At the beginning of financial year 2016/17 CEDA partnered with the Office of the President (OP) through the Director Coordinating Office of PWD for the Disability Entrepreneurship Training programme which was launched in Letlhakane on the 29th April 2016. Through this programme CEDA was able to reach 865 PWDs within a period of 6 months (April to September), who were trained on basic entrepreneurship skills and how to access CEDA products and services.

 

  1. Ladies and Gentlemen, the partnership with OP resulted in a slight improvement of the number of PWDs approaching CEDA for funding and general enquiries. Further interactions with PWDs indicated that a majority are engaged in micro businesses. The Agency, therefore, used its microfinance product, Mabogo-Dinku not only to fund but to provide training in Business Management and Financial Literacy. CEDA has to date financed 20 businesses led by PWDs to the value of P7.4 million creating employment for 74 people.

 

  1. CEDA has committed to improvement of inclusiveness for People with Disabilities, by transcribing of its business plan forms and loan application forms to braille. This project was done in conjunction with the Botswana Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted (BABPS) who are here with us today. This is a pilot project aimed at gauging the uptake of the forms by the blind and partially sighted community country wide.  The Agency is further reviewing its guidelines, the review which is expected to further address ease of access to funding by marginalized groups including People with Disabilities. The review will be completed by end of March 2020.

 

  1. As part of CEDA’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) mandate, the Agency heeded a call from the Botswana Deaf Sports Federation, to assist with sponsorship for the team representing Botswana in the Championship Games in Nairobi, Kenya from the 16th to 22nd September 2019. The Agency sponsored the federation with a hospitality kit, which the team wore at their send-off ceremony on the 13th September 2019 in Gaborone.

 

  1. Ladies and gentlemen, I cannot over emphasize the need for equal participation in the economy of this country hence CEDA’s continuous efforts in working towards financial inclusion. In closing I urge you all to visit our offices and find out how CEDA can assist you to contribute to the economy.

 

  1. Ke a leboga.

 

Pula!!!!!!!