BTC recently staged a financial inclusion music festival in Maun where the telcom giant combined entertainment with education on mobile money and financial literacy as people had a good time
GAZETTE REPORTER
Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTC) marked Independence Day with a financial inclusion music festival in Maun that featured first-rate artists and comedians like Amantle Brown, Franco, Scar, Captain Dira, and Lioness Ratang.
The festival was the culmination of BTC’s Dira. Gola. Tshela Roadshow, a national programme aimed at extending financial literacy and access.
The initiative had already covered 129 villages leading up to the show in Maun, with activities ranging from training sessions for community leaders to performances using drama, music, and poetry to communicate financial concepts.
BTC’s Smega platform
The Acting Head of Mobile Financial Services, Kitso Motswagae, said the programme ensures citizens and non-citizens can access services on BTC’s Smega platform. Features include cash deposits and withdrawals, secure group savings accounts, short-term loans, and bill payments.
Motswagae noted that the roadshow uses “edutainment” such as music festivals and football tournaments to engage communities. The goal, he added, is to create touchpoints where communities can learn about financial tools while enjoying accessible public events.
“The programme embeds BTC’s purpose in everyday experiences that resonate with people’s lives,” he explained, adding that BTC aims to cover 300 villages countrywide.
Linking inclusion to development
BTC’s roadshow also emphasises the importance of insurance for low-income earners and the unemployed. Organisers say this focus reflects national development priorities and global goals for universal financial access.
The Maun festival, described as the first of its kind for BTC, is expected to be followed by similar events in other parts of the country.