STEM Education in Botswana: Girls Getting Geeky

The MoCookie Company (Mochudi Cookie) is part of Stepping Stones International Income Generation Program, where the participants build their own companies and learn about marketing strategies and the meaning of entrepreneurship. The company bakes every Friday and sells the cookies, traditionally oats and raisins cookies to the staff, participants and/or visitors at the centre. The objective is, besides experiencing what it’s like to be part of a company with spending, and profits, is to give the participants a space where they can learn about production, where they can improve their concentration, efficiency and cooperation skills in a team work space, being the kitchen. The German Embassy donated an oven for baking cookies in mass. SSI has approached Holiday Garden Inn who are interested in selling the cookies in the shop. The MoCookie Company needs to look into packaging and marketing. The children participating in the MoCookie Company are experiencing a form of success and self efficiency in a different environment than in school, where they need to use their creativity, analytical skills and learn business. A lot of these participants come from economically challenged homesteads, so the funds they raise from the cookie company will be shared at the end of year and they will use the funds to purchase their own basic needs, for example, a school uniform or shoes.