Thamaga Entrepreneur Walks 2,125km to Build Creative Hub for Botswana’s Youth

Thamaga Entrepreneur Walks 2,125km to Build Creative Hub for Botswana’s Youth. Creative entrepreneur Tshegofatso Tlholwe has embarked on an ambitious 2,125km nationwide sponsored walk to raise funds and awareness for Botswana’s creative economy. Dubbed the MmaBotswana Sponsored Walk 2025, the initiative aims to build a Youth Creative Centre in Thamaga and spotlight the untapped potential of the country’s creative youth.

Under the theme “Creatives Are Diamonds in the Dirt”, the walk began on June 1 and is expected to conclude on September 8. Tshegofatso’s journey will pass through major towns and villages including Kanye, Jwaneng, Ghanzi, Maun, Francistown, Mahalapye, Gaborone, and back to Thamaga.

The walk seeks to raise funds to construct a fully equipped Youth Creative Centre in Thamaga, a facility that will provide tools, mentorship, and training for unemployed and off-school youth with creative potential. To date, MmaBotswana has already empowered over 200 young people and helped launch 8 youth-led ventures, despite operating from a small, makeshift workshop.

For Botswana’s entrepreneurs and businesses, the initiative presents an opportunity to invest in a new wave of economic contributors from the arts and culture sectors. The Centre is envisioned as a hub where raw talent can be transformed into viable enterprises, from fashion to film, design to digital arts.

As of now, Tshegofatso has walked 410km and is currently in Kang. The journey is being powered by individual supporters and small donations, but more backing is needed.