The Education Network (TEN) Square Botswana

I want to revolutionise the Education system of Botswana to support students with their academic work, life skills, study skills,sporting, coaching, career guidance, business skills, vocational,arts, etc through hosting bootcamps and using the power of collaboration as it has proved to work with the work done at school that is position one this year in all schools across Botswana. This prize will cover media( TV, radio and newspapers) including social media too, so we can be able to have our own page and website,thus not use the BNYC page as they currently house our organisation. This fund will help with continuation of the fund raising activities that will ensure sustainability of the project long after the fund money received has served its cause. This will be a life long project that will always exist as long as education and schools exist. The money will cover the feedback and survey as we want to get feedback from our beneficiaries and give reports of the work done to ensure there is no one human resource laying idle but all students whether academic or gifted and passionate in other life activities will be put to use.

My name is Gosego Kebiditswe,Coordinator of Ten Square Botswana, Treasurer of All Brilliant Minds Organisation (ALBRIMO), member of Volunteers Network for Global Change and Behavioral Change, Young Energetic Socialites Services (YESS) business owner and partner in a newly formed Company Countyside Traders. I am very passionate about youth empowerment and volunteering. I have social values, customs and a social responsibility to the world.l believe in an integrated and Culturally diverse community united by the love for success in all aspects of life. I am a lady who is mature and responsible, always working well with my peers and everyone l meet in life. I was a very bright student who worked hard always for my good grades and had an opportunity to be raised by a family of business people,so this gave me the balance l needed to excel on all areas of my life including sports and recreation. As Robert Kiyosaki wrote in his book Rich Dad, Poor Dad, l got to understand that it is great to get the best of both worlds and thus been inspired to do many things to acquire the skills needed to be able to mentor, tutor and give life coaching to students  

Over the years, more than ten thousand completing students were not able to make it to higher learning institutions. We have seen increase in crime rates, youth looking for jobs but not succeeding due to their poor performances and children lose hope because parents could not afford to help. Having duly examined the Education Report drawn from 2009/10 Botswana Core Welfare Indicators Survey No. 2013/15 Stats Brief during a research conducted at Statistics Botswana Offices, we understood the dynamics the Education Sector faces. This led to the existence of TEN Square Botswana. We came together as a group of University students in 2014, did research, made Proposals to different stakeholders and registered in order to provide timely solutions to these blatant limitations to student's potential to grow and reach greater heights. We also did not just sit waiting for funding but we requested for permission to use the swimming pool area at University of Botswana to do fundraising activities. The Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture provides an annual Youth Development Fund gives youth a grant and loan for their ideas and businesses, so we engaged them to be able to help who want to do business.

With our unique ability to provide students with access to all fields of life through our partnerships, from education to career to business and sporting, we have held a couple of talks with different professionals who have heeded to our call to make sure we do not leave any student unengaged by providing  a lot of options for them to explore the one that suites them best. We have an ongoing talk to partner with Classmate App to give access to online tutoring and mentoring by students all over our country. The schools have given us access to hosting bootcamps and support seminars to  students throughout their year and also space for fundraising activities that also give students practical  life skills that help them  see how to run a small business.  Others are different stakeholders like the University of Botswana that host an end of term event to reward students in all fields of life by also giving them access to their facilities and resources to give students a feel of how it is to be in varsity which in turn gives them the drive to study more and do well in order to make it there too

There are many students who complete with good grades and make it to tertiary institutions because we provide tutorials and career guidance through hosting bootcamps in school, private businesses and individuals offering and group tutorials through different online platforms. With the non-academic students, there have been direct interventions made by introducing them to other departments that they are passionate about. Those who are gifted in sports,arts, technical and vocational skills are not left idle as they have now started their small businesses, gotten mentorship and linked with the relevant people to advance their course. More students need access to our services, that is why we are working very hard to ensure that we do more to reach to all parts of our city, country and even other countries in our expansion. Youth have their hope restored and have seen that even if they do not pass academically there is still a lot more to do. Those who make it to University, are empowered with skill to make sure they are not idle graduates, looking at the high rate of unemployment. We want them to be able to start and run successful businesses and create employment