Alinah Kelo Segobye Quotes

Alioune Sall – the first “futures studies” expert I met. Nelson Mandela - who gave his life and time to South Africa’s liberation in a selfless way. They keep me in constant reflection about destiny and legacy and to know the two are not accidental.

It looks good when it has a positive impact on people’s lives. In Botswana, which has been driven mainly by the diamond mining sector, innovation means ensuring that key value chain beneficiaries are the communities in and around where the resources come from, and that these technical solutions are sustainable and won’t bring negative impacts on the environment and livelihoods.

In the culinary world, Botswana chefs are promoting the country’s cuisine globally. Young entrepreneurs are manufacturing beauty products for black skin that are entering global markets. They are becoming boundary less in their innovation, enterprising, and partnering to ensure their products reach beyond Botswana’s borders.

However, their biggest challenge is protecting their products, as there are many perils that make them extremely vulnerable. We need a regulatory framework to ensure they can continue protecting their resources and knowledge.

It’s important that whatever innovation we are developing is done ethically and sustainably so that it can continue benefiting communities positively. This is especially critical when dealing with challenges like access to clean water and safe birth technologies, which can transform the lives of women and children.

The use of new technologies has also been beneficial in public health, with telemedicine enabling doctors in Botswana to work globally without moving, and in education, with online learning programs making education more accessible and inclusive.

There has been an explosion of new talent and creativity, taking what has been the traditional marketplace and moving it into a global export platform. In the music scene, young people have used indigenous languages to create new music genres like Amapiano, gaining global visibility.

Others describe me as… Discerning. I describe myself as… Inquisitive.

I’m extremely excited and confident because, like other African countries, Botswana has a very youthful population. The younger generation is less inhibited in their use of technology and are willing to take risks in experimental areas of their lives. They are breaking barriers that were there before in terms of access to new knowledge, innovative technologies, and markets. They are able to hybridize what they know and create new fusions that are becoming beneficial. For example, the fusion between music, clothing, and film allows young artists to move between different workspaces. They can hold multiple jobs as DJs, fashion designers, voiceover artists, filmmakers, and product developers, multiplying their skills and income opportunities.

All global think tanks, scholars, village elders, children and all resources of learning. There is no privileged source all are equally important.

Botswana’s youth are embracing technology, breaking barriers, and creating innovative solutions across various sectors, from agribusiness and tourism to creative industries and entrepreneurship.

We have been a bit shy of adopting technology, but we’ve seen young people rapidly take up technology and innovative solutions to their everyday problems. We cannot stay with our heads buried in the sand; we have to move with the rapidity of change.

Another major challenge is Botswana’s mono-economy, largely dependent on the diamond mining sector. In the past, we exported raw diamonds without beneficiation, but recently, the government has negotiated with investors to house some of the manufacturing value chain in Botswana, creating job opportunities for young people. However, the job market remains narrow.

Archaeology. The future of the future lies in the past.

A deep rooted passion for the continent’s development agenda both past and present. The present is where I can feed my quest for knowledge.