05 Dec 2019

 Macmillan Education Botswana Tuesday night launched an authorised biography of librarian/teacher turned entrepreneur Jamal Ahmad. 

Entitled, Jamal Ahmad, a profile of grit and grace, the book tells the inspirational story of Ahmad from her migration from India to Botswana in the 1970s with her husband, her public service career and eventually venturing into business. 

She established her construction business in 1982 at a time when it was unusual for women to go into the male dominated business and gradually built an empire in property investment and development, construction and manufacturing. 

In the book, Ahmad inspires women to get into businesses labeled male dominated and make their mark. Ahmad explains that she was determined to prove that women could succeed in the supply and construction business just like their male counterparts. 

“Women can supply not only reading materials or cosmetics but also building materials and hardware,” states Ahmad in the book, adding that women should set themselves goals and work hard towards attaining them. 

Speaking during the book launch, Indian high commissioner to Botswana, Dr Rajesh Ranjan said with her zeal for righteousness, philanthropy and indomitable spirit for success, Ahmad was an inspiration to women. 

He said the business models that she adopted were designed to meet the needs of small scale building contractors and low income customers as evidenced by the provision of easy credit terms and free delivery of merchandise at one of her businesses. 

Such vision, Dr Ranjan said, propelled Ahmad’s progress in the construction and manufacturing business and enabled her to create employment and opportunities for Batswana to learn technical skills on the job. 

The Indian high commissioner noted that Botswana and India shared bilateral relations and that Indians in diaspora efforts in different fields further strengthened those ties. 

He said Indians living in Botswana had contributed to the progress and development of all sectors of the Botswana economy including trade and entrepreneurship, employment creation, setting up of educational institutions as well as health and skills development. 

The book is published by Macmillan Botswana Publishing Company (Pty) Ltd. ENDS