The Managing Director (MD) of I-Six Logistics Training and Research Consultants, Tlhaloganyo Kaisara says he is confident that his company is poised for more growth.
Kaisara said as the company is celebrating its 10th anniversary next year, they are taking much inspiration from surviving the harsh COVID-19 pandemic storm.
He conceded that COVID-19 has disrupted his company’s plans including cancellation of the lucrative tenders which they bided for but he is buoyant that I-Six still remains resilient.
I-Six fully owned local research and training company focuses on socio-economic, health, environmental and human resource development areas having come into existence in 2010.
Led by Kaisara, an economist by profession, the company has achieved a significant footprint growth in Botswana, regionally as well at global level.
“Our business coverage in the fields of consultancy and research is quite an impressive one. Research takes us everywhere in Botswana. Our clientele is also extensive and it covers the civil society, government and parastatals and we are now get business from private sector as well,” he added.
In addition, Kaisara said the business is exposed to the international markets, having done work in Ghana, South Africa, Ethiopia and DRC.
“Our consultants are also in countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom (UK). We have a job that was done recently by a Canadian consultant but based in Botswana,” said the upbeat MD.
He said despite COVID-19 the company remains resilient and well settled, adding that they remain well capitalised buttressing that they have adopted online surveys. He insisted that evidenced based research was very important to tap into in all efforts of revitalising the economy that has taken a severe knock from the COVID-19 pandemic.
For example, he said the issue of Gender Based Violence (GBV) which is threat to the economy has to be examined; its root causes to offer solutions that would be guided by empirical evidence.
“We have approached nine months into COVID-19 and lot of socio-economic issues emerged out such increase in GBV. We can as a country come up with either economic or social policies that are aimed at alleviating GBV but research evidence could only guide real policies,’’ said Kaisara.
They also intend to introduce a micro-lending business portfolio soon.
“This would enable the business to diversify its revenue pool. We will be financing purchase orders as we are in a quest to turn into more diverse, competitive and global company,” he said.
Kaisara holds a Masters Degree in Development Studies and a Bachelors degree in the Social Sciences from the University of Botswana (UB) as well as post graduate qualifications in Health Management, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and in the Project Management respectively.
His business is not only profit-oriented but is also keen to building solid partnerships with stakeholders such as media by also giving business in return for relations.
Kaisara said I-Six is concerned about sustainable growth in the economic value chain, saying that this is shown by the company’s input through its Corporate Social Investment (CSI) projects.
He cautioned that any possibilities of lockdown in festive season could lead to severe contraction of the economy, adding that COVID-19 Task Force has to mind that the economy suffers.