- Programme has reduced interest levels
- Aims to aid mobility of disabled clients
The new programme was officially launched recently at Travelodge in Gaborone.
Speaking at a press conference held by the company, the Executive Director of Ticano, Opela Motswagae, said they decided to call the new programme the Disabled Persons Financing Support Programme. Motswagae explained that the programme allows such suppliers to obtain loans that are unique due to their advantages of reduced interest in order to accomplish their purchase order needs.
Through the new programme, he added, disabled people who own Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) will also benefit in that they will be accorded discounts, depending on the amount borrowed. “Ticano is the first company in Botswana to offer 100 percent support for the disabled and to offer health care specific products,” said Motswagae.
He emphasised that the idea is not to leave anyone behind. The Disabled Persons Financing Support Programme is meant to lessen the pressure that comes with the process of ordering and obtaining products from across the borders because the disabled struggle to move around. The Executive Director of Ticano said the discount in pricing is meant is also to assist in mobility and issues surrounding the disabled. He added that the programme offers discounts in prices so as to overcome the difficulties that interrupt small businesses in their finances and cash flows.
“Ticano is giving back to the community in a different way,” Motswagae said. “The more money SMMEs borrow, the bigger the discount offered.” But Ticano is not there only for people living with disabilities but is for Batswana as a whole. Motswagae said since its inception in 2015, the company has successfully offered capital to primary schools, hospitals, parastatals and some branches of the government.
“Our most successful projects include supplying health care (products) and protective clothing from China worth P2 million, we’ve financed someone installing towers for BOCRA, Ticano has also successfully financed a company that ordered handsets from China for BTC as well and assisted Btv with equipment. The list is endless,” Motswagae said. Established in 2015, Ticano is a 100 percent citizen owned company with branches in Gaborone, Palapye, Maun and Jwaneng. Among other services, it specialises in purchase order financing that target SMMEs.
