Junior
Achievement Botswana (JAB) began JA operations in April 1994 under the
auspices of local USAID grant. As well as receiving partial funding
under a regional grant from the Agency for International Development
which funded the start-up of JA operations in three African nations.
Since October 1996, the organization has been self-sustaining and
is run by a staff of eight. The
population of Botswana is 1.5 million.
Setswana and English are the most frequently spoken languages in
Botswana.
Junior
Achievement Botswana offers both Business Basic and the Company Program.
During
the 1999 school year, Junior Achievement Botswana reached 9,582
in-school and out-of-school youth. They plan to reach approximately
11,500 students during the 2000 school year.
Youth
unemployment and the gap in the current school curriculum to adequately
prepare students for the world of work with business and employable
skills are critical problems in Botswana. JAB therefore fosters
development of an entrepreneurial attitude, which has been lacking in
the past.
