Building on a much bigger platform from the WIBA Excellence Awards 2015, WIBA advocated having women owned business to be recognized, hence the participation of the Awards in the regional stage. For the first time, WIBA member’s also representing Botswana were at the center stage competing with their regional counterparts.

 Issues of standards are not only meant for large enterprises but small enterprises as well. These awards came at a critical time when businesses are faced with stiff competition and issues of business sustainability are used as a yard stick for attracting investments into the local enterprise. The WIBA entrants to this platform include:

• Ms Gobonaone Modisane (Young Chefs Academy)
• Lebang Obakeng (The Living Guesthouse)
• Ms Michelle Gabriel and Pinkie Setlalekgosi (Sprint Couriers)

About these awards

These awards promote a quality culture by recognizing and appreciating organizations and individuals who are contributing to quality advancement. The areas under which entrants were assessed include product quality systems, processes and procedures that are in line with local as well as international best practice. One of the critical condition imposed for entering into these awards is that one should have competed at a national scale, hence the WIBA Excellence Awards winners fit the bill. The categories for the SADC Annual Quality Awards included

1.       Category 1-Company of the year, small and Medium Entreprise

2.       Category 2- Product of the Year, Large Entreprise

3.       Category 3- Service of the Year, Small and Medium Entreprise

4.       Category 4- Exporter of the Year- Large Enterprise

5.       Category 5-Individual Award

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Southern African Development Community Accreditation Services (SADCAS), Dr Maureen Mutasa, these businesses will have adopted quality principles as a tool for competitiveness, an attribute that puts them in a league to participate in international markets. All entries were subject to scrutiny from a panel of technical experts

WIBA would like to thank in advance these ladies who did us proud in representing Botswana. For more information about the awards guidelines and how you can participate, feel free to contact the WIBA office for more information. We wish luck to those who will be entering once again for the same awards to be held in Swaziland at the beginning of 2017.