This episode features Co-Founder of Xavier Africa, Mr Tavonga Muchuchuti an award winning entrepreneur, a Yale Young African Scholar, Executive MBA holder, Summa Cum Laude Finance graduate from Sheffield Hallam University, a certified Digital Transformation specialist, inaugural international student prize recipient for the best academic performance across all Sheffield Hallam partner schools. Tavonga currently serves as the managing director of Xavier Africa- a bespoke software development agency that has helped blue chip firms across Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe transform their businesses by leveraging multilayered digital technologies. He also serves on the board of the Botswana Fintech Association and actively involved in the local innovation ecosystem. As an academic enthusiast Tavonga is currently pursuing his PhD in Digital Transformation with a focus on Artificial Intelligence. #convoloungeafrica

This week Bakang Keitumetse talks to Thobo Khathola, the founder, managing director and CEO of Lion Tutoring International, an education technology company in Botswana that employs over 330 Staff in Botswana and South Africa. Thobo holds a BCom Economics and management degree from University of Pretoria. In 2020 he was listed as one of the first young Batswana to make the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and also appeared on the cover of the Forbes Africa magazine. Lion Tutoring’s headquarters are based in Botswana and they also have a branch in South Africa. They plan to enter other markets as well. The organisation employs tutors with teaching qualifications and experience. The company has invested in an App that allows one to input their subjects and location, then the app will show you the top-10-rated tutors in your particular area, their qualifications, experience and rating. The app allows you to book a tutor and make a payment. A tutor will then be sent to your home or institution, or conduct the lesson through Skype. Lion Tutoring took home the Best Youth Owned Business award at the Botswana Youth Awards in 2017 and 2018.

We introduce a special feature of the Convo Lounge Podcast called HR Couch where we shall be having a series of conversations with HR Professionals to understand solutions to unemployment from their perspective. On this first episode, Yandile is joined by Boyang Mufahothe, a human capital and career coach who is passionate about developing graduates and young professionals for employment and the world of work, helping individuals navigate various phases of their career and realize their full potential.She is the founder and managing director of Talent Corner, a career development and talent management practice. Her corporate experience includes providing HR support across industry-telecommunications, Banking, Health Services, consultancy and union sectors.

We introduce a special feature of the Convo Lounge Podcast called HR Couch where we shall be having a series of conversations with HR Professionals to understand solutions to unemployment from their perspective. On this first episode, Yandile is joined by Boyang Mufahothe, a human capital and career coach who is passionate about developing graduates and young professionals for employment and the world of work, helping individuals navigate various phases of their career and realize their full potential. She is the founder and managing director of Talent Corner, a career development and talent management practice. Her corporate experience includes providing HR support across industry-telecommunications, Banking, Health Services, consultancy and union sectors.

On this episode Bakang Keitumetse hosts Ms. Natasha Onalenna Moraka a young Motswana woman from Sebina, currently based at the Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership (BHP) where she is employed as a laboratory scientist and a research fellow (PhD level) through the Sub-Saharan Network for TB/HIV research excellence (SANTHE) and the National Institutes of Health (HIV) D43 fellowship program. She recently graduated with an MSc in Medical Virology from Stellenbosch University in December 2021, where she already had a Bachelor of science Degree (BSc) obtained from the University of Botswana in 2015. Natasha currently a research fellow and PhD candidate registered with the University of Botswana, working on a project that looks at HIV diversity in the era of the UNAIDS “Treat all” era in Botswana. She is also currently one of the lead laboratory scientists in the studies looking at pediatric infectious diseases in the institution as well as studies on Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and other HIV co-infections such as TB, Hepatitis B and SARS-CoV2 at the BHP. She is a well dedicated and promising young scientist who has assisted in co-authoring a several papers on different infectious agents such as CMV, HPV and HIV. By the age of 30, she has published 3 first author manuscripts as well as co-authored a total of 14 papers. Natasha is also part of the Botswana National SARS-CoV2 testing team where she is responsible for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 using different laboratory assays and protocols including rapid antigen testing, RNA PCR, GeneXpert testing and viral sequencing.

This episode features Lone Nigel Lottering, a GIS Analyst/Geomatics engineer who currently works as a digital associate at Letshego Holdings Limited. He is passionate about academic research and creating innovative solutions to drive business growth and gain a better understanding of the world through research and development. With his experience Lone also serves as a part-time research assistant in the civil engineering department at the University of Botswana. He is a practical example of a young Motswana in the 21st century who is contributing to a knowledge-based economy by conducting research, running his startup EO Analytics, and working for Letshego Holdings Limited, one of the largest homegrown pan-African companies.

On this episode of the Convo Lounge Podcast Bakang chats to Dr. Wedu Somolekae, a General Medicine and Aesthetics expert. She is an entrepreneur widely recognized for founding Medi-Glow Clinic, a groundbreaking aesthetics facility in Botswana's emerging aesthetics sector. Dr. Somolekae earned her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from the University of Botswana and completed aesthetics medicine training at Medskills Training Academy and the American academy of Aesthetic Medicine.As a pioneer in Botswana's aesthetics field, Dr. Somolekae was honored by being named to the 2023 Forbes Under 30 Africa list, becoming the first Motswana woman to achieve this distinction. This accolade highlights her position as one of Africa's most promising young entrepreneurs. Through her endeavors at Medi Glow Aesthetics, Dr. Somolekae demonstrates a strong dedication to utilizing her knowledge and abilities to enhance the lives of people throughout Africa. As an ardent supporter of entrepreneurship and innovation, she envisions her business as a catalyst for social and economic transformation.

Convo Lounge continues to showcase Botswana's high value talent that are working towards providing in a way solutions to the unemployment problem in Botswana. On this episode, Yandile speaks to Mr. Tinashe Ngwenya a highly skilled engineer and curious scholar. He is a specialist in computational biomechanics, jet propulsion, heat transfer and fluid dynamics. His research interests are on the application of engineering principles to solve biological and medical problems, turbine blade cooling, sustainable aviation and power generation and storage. Tinashe currently works as a junior aerothermal engineer (heat exchanger design and modelling) at Qdot Technology in Oxford, United Kingdom. He has a BEng Mechanical Engineering (University of Botswana), MRes Future Propulsion and Power (Cambridge University), MSc Mechanical Engineering (University of Cape Town) and is pursuing a DPhil in Future Propulsion and Power (University of Oxford). In 2021, he won the Mastercard and Rhodes scholarships which funded all of his postgraduate studies. Tinashe is a motivational speaker and empowerment expert. He visits schools, organize seminars and uses his social media platforms to engage with his audience. #convoloungeafrica

Bakang Keitumetse is on this week's episode of the podcast joined by Professor Jean-Pierre de la Porte who has worked extensively in public sector transformation as an analyst, policy developer and implementor. He consistently advocates human capital-based economies as the future of SADC and has in his career acquired experience of challenges facing cities and regions in transition from resource-based economies to futures based on growth of knowledge by investment in human capital.Prof. has led several delegations between the Northern Italy knowledge economy and Botswana since 2014 after a pavilion he curated at the Venice Biennale drew attention to the SADC Region. He has served as a liaison officer at the University of Botswana where he took responsibility to bring about a recent partnership between the University of Toronto and UB. His current concern is with design and implementation of Work Integrated Learning as a driving element of Botswana’s growth path.Professor de la Porte advocates multisector approaches to a knowledge-based economy and believes successful Public-Private-Civic Partnerships can assure Botswana’s competitiveness in the future SADC region. He sees Botswana as the new hub of global third-stream funding into SADC and therefore works closely with the UB Foundation and Business Botswana as progenitors of the region’s future civil society. In 2021 together with his colleague O.C Rabatsimako led the formulation of a genuinely localized code of governance for boards of the public sector. His professional interest remains in combining institutional and community redesign to make Gaborone the gateway of global engagement with the SADC region.

Bakang sits for a follow up conversation of episode 2 with Tebogo Mogaleemeng, an engineer with over 15 years of experience and the founder of Spectrum Analytics, a company focused on accelerating value creation from data through infrastructure and data management solutions in Africa. On this episode Tebogo shares his experience on what thriving in the digital economy means for an average Motswana. He discusses how to deepen Botswana's ecosystem collaborations to unlock a collective potential for an inclusive digital economy. Let's hear your thoughts on our Facebook community page: Convo Lounge Africa | Facebook Or WhatsApp us at +26776519992 #convoloungeafrica

On this episode, Yandile Nuku chats to Kesego Mokgosi a driven, self-taught full-stack developer and AI enthusiast who co-founded Anton Tech, an AI research company in Botswana. From a young age, Kesego has been fascinated with astronomy, computer programming, and problem-solving, earning various honors such as being the 2013 Botswana Maths & Science National Champion and representing his country in the 2017 International Olympiad of Metropolises Finals in Moscow. He graduated with top honors from the University of Sunderland/Botswana Accountancy College in 2022. Kesego's goal is to utilize AI research to revolutionize industries and tackle challenges faced by the Sub-Saharan African ecosystem and the global community. He is involved in community programs and projects and is currently the Head of Technology at XavierAfrica, where he leads technical efforts in the development of Conversational AI and Enterprise solutions for the Mining, Manufacturing, Finance, and Governance sectors. Additionally, as the 2021 recipient of the Botswana Innovation Fund, Kesego aims to leverage geospatial data to develop a solution that identifies transboundary diseases, benefitting farmers and agronomists.#convoloungeafrica #internetofthings #AI #digitalsolutions #bigtech #botswana #highvaluetalent #developercommunities #startup #employmentcreation #agritech #tech #dataanalysis

The Engineers Registration Board (ERB) a statutory body set up to regulate the activities and conduct of engineers in Botswana in collaboration with the Association of Consulting Engineers Botswana (ACEB) the voice of consulting engineers in Botswana hosted the 3rd engineering forum to provide a think tank platform for engineering discussions under the theme, ”creative and innovative engineering value chain-from rhetoric to action”. This hybrid forum brought together players in the built environment, local and international engineering experts, policy makers, procuring entities and consumer of engineering services. The forum had presentations and discussions covering topics such as academia and industry collaborations for solution focused work, providing solutions for sustainable infrastructure in a knowledge-based economy, how innovation and creativity has uplifted the engineering industry and lastly risk and governance in engineering projects. This episode opens up to a series of episodes which shall cover some of the key takeaways from the forum.

In episode 2 of the Convo Lounge podcast, Yandile Nuku sits for a conversation with Tebogo Mogaleemeng, an engineer with over 15 years of experience and the founder of Spectrum Analytics, a company focused on accelerating value creation from data through infrastructure and data management solutions in Africa. Tebogo shares his journey of turning his passion for solving complex challenges into entrepreneurship, and his mission to transform Africa by championing data-driven innovation in Botswana. He discusses the importance of training and mentoring students, young professionals, and startups in Data Science, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence, and the power of learning to transform communities and organizations. Tebogo also talks about his love for applying systems thinking to find sustainable solutions to modern complex challenges, and his interest in pondering on the big questions about life as an ardent student of the human condition. Let's hear your thoughts on our Facebook community page: Convo Lounge Africa | Facebook Or WhatsApp us at +26776519992 #convoloungeafrica

Convo Lounge Podcast Episode 1: This introductory episode of the podcast launches and gives an overview of what this platform is and what it's intended to do. Engage further with using #convoloungeafrica on Convo Lounge Africa | Facebook and Convo Lounge Africa: Overview | LinkedIn Join the Convo Lounge Facebook community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/460451239589166/