Alumni Impact: Witness Ditshweu
Alumni Impact is a social media campaign that recognizes the excellent work being done by FIUTS alumni all around the world. This week, meet Witness!
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Witness Ditshweu, 2020 SUSI alum, student, and business owner from Tonota, Botswana.
I am Witness Ditshweu from Botswana. I was part of the 2020 Study of the US Institute (SUSI) for Student Leaders on Civic Engagement in Seattle, Washington. I am currently a final year student at BA ISAGO University studying Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting. Outside of my studies, I own a company called Alvaro Custom Suits, which is a clothing brand.
During my time in the United States of America and during the FIUTS program I learnt the importance of networking and how networking can help build your business circle for a great business growth potential. I also had a great time learning how to best formulate and design a project, from writing mission statements and vision statements to actually approaching different stakeholders for sponsorship. Lastly, I learned how to mobilize a great team to work with on different projects.
I also learnt the American history and different movements that fought for equality in the U.S, among them is Dr. Martin Luther King Junior. I studied his civil rights movement in 1950’s and 1960’s as a social rights activist, his speeches, and fortunately had the chance to visit the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. In Washington State, I had the chance to have a regional study tour and was in Olympia learning about the United States legislature. I also went to TVW and learnt about television content and production, and how they promote transparency and access to information. Before that, I had an opportunity to participate in an interviewing workshop through KUOW RadioActive Youth Media. I also attended different classes by Professor Ryan Burt and learnt about American political leadership, citizen advocacy, and minority political engagement.
My community project is built around networking and entrepreneurial growth. The project is called “The Business Date“ and its main intent is to grow business networks, showcase products, and sell services. On the 27th of November 2020, I was able to gather approximately 75 people (maximum number of people per gathering per COVID-19 protocols in Botswana) who among them were youth interested in different businesses. Some came with their products to showcase what they sell as we had stalls available to young entrepreneurs. We also had a panel discussion for different business markets from manufacturing to the creative industry where we had to unpack various marketing strategies that young people can use to grow their businesses. We discussed how young people in different business markets should behave and/or brand themselves (personal branding and packaging) as the face of their companies for easy networking and for business growth. The project was sponsored by BA ISAGO University as were using their convention center as our venue.
This project is fighting to address issues such as limited or no employment in the country. Though we have such challenges, young people have the freedom and the ability to start-up businesses and can actually get funding for those businesses even though it is a very competitive funding, with proper business education that includes financial literacy and entrepreneurship development. The Business Date is fighting to solve that by providing the necessary education. Young people often start-up businesses and those businesses end up failing business of lack of entrepreneurial development education.
The Business Date event is an annual event and will continue positively impact the community every year with more developments and an increased business education provided to young people interested in stating up different businesses in different places for an increased economic development in Botswana.
In other news, I am completing a radio training at Gabz-FM, a local radio station in Botswana, through the program Gabz-FM Advantage. I was also fortunate to join Quantum Leap Academy where I help teach young people ages 13 – 19 years to develop critical skills as a 21st century teenager. We will be having 2 days of training from December 15-16th to positively impact and help young people to reach their potential.
Finally, following my completion of the SUSI programme, I composed a “This I Believe” video. It was motivated by the teachings I received throughout my SUSI programme, having to learn what made America to be the way it is today and what it took, the volunteer work I engaged in that the objectives of the organizations inspired me. Also, it was motivated by my upbringing. I was raised by a single parent who made me believe that I can achieve anything I want through my hard work and tenacity, that my age, background and residence should not be a barrier to achieving greater things in life.
“Success is not altered by age, residence or background. It is imposed and embraced by an individual from within.” —Witness Ditshweu.
Witness Ditshweu is a 2020 alum of the FIUTS SUSI on Civic Engagement. He is completing a Bachelor’s degree of Commerce in Accounting at BA ISAGO University and owns his own clothing brand, Alvaro Custom Suits.
SUSI programs promote a better understanding of the people, institutions, and culture of the United States among international students, teachers, and scholars. Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSIs) are short-term academic programs for groups of undergraduate leaders, educators, and scholars from around the world. Hosted by academic institutions throughout the United States, these 5- to 6-week Institutes include an intensive academic residency and an integrated educational study tour. Extracurricular cultural and community activities help to broaden the participants’ understanding of U.S. society. Learn more about SUSI programs here.
Guest posts on the FIUTS blog represent the experiences and views of individual writers. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FIUTS or any organizations or institutions affiliated with our programs.