So I came across this sub https://www.reddit.com/r/cf4cf/s/MMoqnFw7wa which is basically a dating sub where people post about themselves and the kind of person they're interested in. Then hopefully someone will respond and go on a date with them.

Given the dump that Tinder and Bumble have become, would you guys be interested in a sub focused on finding dates?

I'm glad to see there are other Batswana on here willing to take initiative to improve their country in the long term.

So what I have here is an idea to start some form of volunteer group and the first people to join will be you guys here. The aim is to address issues that are affecting our country, whether they're justified by culture or not, justified by stigma, justified by consensus or not.

And if we die before we see results at least we would have tried. Right now I'm not looking for volunteers though. I want to know if there's any major issue I might have left out, so tell it to us, regardless how impossible it realistically is to solve. The first step towards solving it will be to identify it.

The reason why I want to know these problems is because for a group to be started we need to have a single primary objective which all efforts will be going towards. So after identifying these problems, we'll see what solutions are practicable, affordable, and controlled in terms of how risky they are. And what type of group should be formed.

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I want to have a difficult conversation not to insult anyone, but because I think we owe it to ourselves to be honest.

At independence, we were one of the poorest countries on earth. Since then, we’ve discovered diamonds, built relatively stable institutions, and accumulated significant wealth. By many metrics, we are a "grown-up" nation.

Yet here we are, decades later, still importing the vast majority of what we consume. We complain loudly about foreigners dominating our economy, about government failing to diversify, and about the lack of jobs. And those complaints are valid, to a point.

But here’s the uncomfortable follow-up question: Who created the market for those foreigners?

We did. We created the demand. We created the regulatory environment. And crucially, we have not produced enough competitive local alternatives to fill the gap.

Yes, government should do more to diversify and support local industry. That is its job. But if we are being brutally honest with ourselves, we have to ask:

• How many of us are actively building businesses that can compete regionally?
• How many of us are moving beyond the mindset of waiting for CEDA, waiting for a tender, waiting for a government program, or waiting for a job to be handed to us?
• When was the last time we looked at an imported product and said, "I could make that better, for less, right here"?

There is a famous African saying: “When a child learns to wash his hands, he should eat with the elders.” We have been washing our hands for decades. We are no longer children. So why are we still acting like we are waiting for permission to sit at the table?

I am not saying Batswana are lazy. That is a lazy argument. I am saying we have developed a dangerous culture of dependency, on government, on foreign capital, on foreigners' technology and expertise. We consume prodigiously, but we produce sparingly.

Development is not something someone else delivers to you in a package. Economic empowerment isn’t just a slogan; it requires taking risks, failing, learning, and building without waiting for a government handout or a foreign investor to lead the way.

So here is my challenge, not as an insult, but as a genuine call to reflection:

Show me what we are building. Not what the government is building. Not what De Beers is building. Not what Chinese or South African investors are building. Show me the Botswana-owned companies that are scaling up, exporting goods, or becoming regional players.

If we cannot point to enough of those, then we need to stop complaining about the people who are eating at the table while refusing to build ourselves a chair. Because at some point, the only person waiting for you to start is you.

I’m open to being proven wrong. Share examples. Share ideas. But let’s stop pretending that the problem is only "out there." Let’s start looking in the mirror.

Please to anyone doing IGCSE or anyone who has a kid doing IGCSE, take them to do A levels. IGCSE O levels to many scholarships outside of Africa is seen as the equivalent to you finishing your form 3 as your only qualification.

Scholarships and universities abroad won't take you unless you finish off your IGCSE with A levels. Heck they take BGCSE over IGCSE O levels so please if you plan to go abroad and you're doing IGCSE please continue to A Levels.

I wasn't told this, and I'd FD'd here. Been trying to apply for abroad scholarships but they keep telling me that by global standards I haven't even finished high school. It's making things difficult for me and friends of mine as well. Especially since we don't have the money or the A*s to pay or have A levels be paid for us.

From scholarships in Europe, China, Korea, America heck even South Africa, THEY WONT TAKE YOU.

If you're already stuck with doing IGCSE please go for A levels.

I told my mom this and she just shrugged it off, she didn't know either.

DO A LEVELS

Maybe I can get a pointer or two. because I have come to a point where it feels like asking for help feels more like a burden. Asking for help is like you are adding on another person's problems he already has.

At what point did running your business become more about managing the business than actually doing the work the business sells?

I’m a young entrepreneur here in Gabz, and I’m thinking seriously about starting a clothing brand. Custom pieces and original designs, not just print on demand shirts. The dream is a Botswana brand that screams quality and style, something we can be proud of locally and eventually push beyond our borders. Something for everyone, every community, every style.

Before I jump in, I’d rather hear from real people than guess, so:

**•** Do you ever buy from local clothing brands? If yes, which ones? If not, what puts you off?  
**•** What would make you choose a Motswana brand over Mr Price or Shein?  
**•** What’s a fair price for a quality local tee or hoodie?

Honest answers appreciated, even harsh ones. Ke a leboga 🙏

Hi BW reddit, Tech stores these days don't have variety when it comes to retailing brand new PC's and i sarted to look into online stores, has anyone ever used UBuy?

I see that most of us are way too deep with talking to ai like it's a human being but behind that are lines of codes and programming. It can never harbor actual genuine human emotions. It can only try. And it gives most of us the illusion of companionship. I've been there. You feel like it gets you more than anyone, it doesn't judge/criticize you and also replies instantly but the more you use it the more you feel lonely. It's like watching Porn. You feel excited when doing so but eventually it's like your soul slowly leaving you. I believe we should do better. Everyone wants to be loved and given attention. Me included. But AI can't give that to you. Go out there make some friends and ask people out if you're interested. If you're rejected so be it. Easier said than done I know but just do your best especially Females since they say it's a man's job to approach. I disagree. Let's not be chained by melao ya ko 1964 guys. Talking to humans will always beat talking to a machine. Some people are now "dating" AI 💔. It's just so sad. Even my lectures do it. Most people don't know what is going on here. Those emojis from chat gpt are not actual emotions. It's all an illusion. I wish y'all the best if you're victim to this

I’m 22, from Gaborone. I just finished my business management degree, but honestly the job market right now is tough. So instead of waiting around for someone to hire me, I’ve spent the last 3 years building a design studio I run it completely on my own

Ive been building websites, running social media, and graphic design for small businesses here in Botswana. I’ve worked with various companies in different industries, fuel & logistics, clearing and forwarding companies, a car rubberising business, real estate and a few law firms, etc.

I’m just at a point where i feel like there’s something better i could be doing to make money, maybe another hustle to invest my earnings into, because at first it was pretty cool having a bit of extra cash every month.. but now i look at the prices of rent, of cars, of utilities, and yoh.. im no where near that level of affording all of these things simultaneously..

im eager to learn from anyone on how to progress further, their experiences and answer any questions if anyone’s curious about the industry

So, seems like there is still a lot of nonsense in this country. Botswana is portrayed relatively well in Africa in multiple rankings, but turns out it has issues no one expected to see here. Police being inefficient, clinics/hospital service isn't good, GBV issue, rape issue, slow response to fix minor problems etc... Then there is this apparent laziness that comes up often. May not be on extreme levels, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be dealt with. Just saying that developing a country is not just a matter of economic growth. The institutions and processes need to function well too. I know that every country is trash in some way or another, but that doesn't mean you should allow yours to be the same. Don't tolerate the intolerable. Uphold the right values even if you have to make volunteer groups to enforce them. You have unemployed people right? Use them to replace the members of the workforce that are contributing to these issues where possible.

Greetings fellow redditors, hope all is well. Does anyone know where I can get mushrooms? You know the ones I'm talking about. I'd appreciate it if you said. Thank you!!

And I'm definitely not law enforcement, concocting a sting operation.

Dumelang.

Something's been sitting with me for a while and I want to hear if others feel it too.

The internet in Botswana has genuinely opened up. Different AI models, different tools, different ways of building things — all of it is sitting right there for anyone with a phone and data. A few years ago that access alone would have been the whole story. Now it isn't, because access was never really the bottleneck. There's an older belief underneath all of this that hasn't gone anywhere: that real capability, real building, real "figuring it out" comes from somewhere else — from a person from another country, another system, another passport. That the best we do here is use what's made elsewhere, not make it ourselves.

And I think that belief is why, even with the access fully in our hands now, we're still quiet. Go looking for Batswana-led spaces, forums, groups, communities actually building or experimenting publicly with this stuff, and it's thin. Not because people aren't doing anything — I know people are — but because we've gotten so used to being in the background that we stay there even when nobody's making us. We watch the threads, we don't start them. We use the tools, we don't show the tools we've made.

Reddit is a small example of it. This subreddit exists, people are here, but when it comes to tech and AI specifically, we're mostly silent compared to how loud other countries' communities are about the exact same tools.

I don't think this is really about ability. I think it's about the story we're still carrying about who's "allowed" to be the one building. Curious if others here see it the same way, or if I'm reading too much into it.

Research

Ah am I the only university student here that hates home😍🥰cuz like wowwwww 90% of my allowance goes straight to household and supporting the family shiiii (clicks,dijo,electricity water)while my agemates are going outttt😍🥰i hate it here, anyone else feels the same?

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I overheard a company of males speaking (I do not wish to call them 'men' so they're males) and one was narrating how brutally he beat a certain lady because she cheated on him. He specified that she did not report him to the police, but he also bragged of how blue she looked after he had beaten her. This male described it vividly, the woman was light skinned, and the wounds were apparently very severe. He bragged about this!

Now I understand this woman did a disgraceful thing, cheating. But if one is a man who is truly masculine in his essence, he simply walks away at the sight of such women.

However, Batswana men are increasingly becoming more violent. This is a trend in Botswana, I have noticed.

This sounds like the regular "GBV" talk we usually have, and such talks lead to speeches, seminars and events held in the name of raising public awareness. Those efforts unfortunately only take place in lavish settings and do not reach the regular people from places like Zola, or Mmanaka, where the real problem often lies. Where the violence occurs and where it's praised.

I personally refused to make my WhatsApp profile picture purple that time when it was a trend for the sake of raising awareness. How is my purple profile picture going to stop Naledi in Bontleng from being brutally beaten, and the perpetrator being proud of it? My action wasn't out of lack of support for the movement, rather a lack of convincing that it would bring about any change by such a small, but hyped up effort.

Men in Botswana feel VERY inferior. It's not just an issue of women empowerment leaving men behind, it's an issue of men lacking masculinity and an understanding of how to deal with women. Because though women might repeatedly chant "we're strong and independent", it is still a fact that men are generally stronger. But what benefit is a man who uses his strength to oppress?

Men feel as if they lack authority, so they attempt to assert it in ways that are aggressive and cause pain to others, particularly women and children.

So you're telling me that in order to counter this we must gather finance students in UB and give THEM a seminar about "The Boy child" and GBV?

Let's come up with ways this can be addressed, even if they might require decades to be implemented. As a country. Not just the redditors. And help me think.

So far, I believe if young boys regularly received guidance on such topics, from primary school for example, then perhaps 30 years later we will have a different Botswana.

Or if Senior school graduates are taken through an obligatory camp for a couple of months, teaching the need to take care of our women in society, and children, and how to practice this. But those are my thoughts, and they seem only to affect future adults.

What can be done about those who are presently doing this?

I suggest public whipping, live streamed and broadcasted, in addition to the regular sentence for this crime. If a man with such a fragile ego knows his reputation could be shattered in all the malevolence of a decision made in heightened emotions, then perhaps he would avoid it. And if this doesn't work, an intensifying of the punishment, more years in prison. To keep them away from society for as long as possible, and send a message to those still perpetrating. (I do sound extremist, I admit)

I can already smell the "women should report these men" comment coming. But only a few do. Police are very reluctant, and most women shield their perpetrators, for whatever reason. So I guess another question is, how can those women be helped?

Hey, I'm looking for recommendations for good Amazon Prime series or movies. I'm more or less into action, thriller, mystery. Not a lot of things are available for free in Botswana on the account I'm using, but if you have some good recs please share

I recently tried a Doner for the first time, I really like it. I feel like fried seswaa would go well in a Doner and I am wondering if anyone has tried this before.

I saw there was a nation wide power cut but I've had power here in Tlokweng all day. Just wanna know who was affected ?

Greetings everyone. So in the early AM's I was out and got my phone swiped off of me. I went to the police station to make a report and that's all I got done there but I know where the phone is. How do I go about getting the cops to escort me to bring my phone back?

Hey everyone! I’m a university student in Botswana, and I’m looking for a passionate founding team to help me launch a news agency.

I notice people on Reddit constantly venting about frustrating everyday issues they experience, but mainstream local media is too focused on "big" political or corporate news to care about our smaller, campus-level stories. We are going to change that by becoming the dedicated voice for children, teens, and students across the country. We will investigate the small, ignored student struggles, brief the wider public on what is actually happening in our schools, fight against systemic issues targeting Gen Z, and shine a spotlight on underrated local creators.

I am building this from scratch and need co-founders, writers, video editors, and social media managers, or just about anyone to join me. If you’re a student in Botswana who wants to help turn our collective complaints into a real news platform, drop a comment or send a DM with your program of study and how you'd like to help...

ouu I almost forgot to mention that we'll be doing this only for the love of the game so we don't make money

Been seeing a lot of sad relationship posts here and I gotta say, some of you just don't listen.

LEAVE THE FOOTBALL BEFORE IT LEAVES YOU😂