Why Batswana are the diamonds of the country

Good morning 😃🌞☀️. Let’s get into this.

Last night or very early in the morning I saw a post on Facebook about how important for the country to invest in its people and that it’s long overdue. This is coming after the president’s trip to Las Vegas, how we as a country failed to diversify while we still could.

I really liked that thought, I just decided let me ask ChatGPT, one of my favorite tools to research about how this could be done in investing in Batswana and nations that succeeded doing so:

Batswana are the real diamonds.

The post by Joseph Khumo perfectly captures the urgent need to pivot from resource dependence to human capital investment. And the way forward is clear:

✅1. Shift from Extraction to Innovation

Botswana must stop treating diamonds as the foundation of its economy and start treating Batswana as its most valuable asset. This means:

• Investing in education (STEM, digital skills, entrepreneurship)

• Funding tech startups, creative industries, green energy, and agriculture

• Building infrastructure that supports scalable, export-ready industries

🚀2. Empower Young Professionals, Students & Creators

If you’re young and Batswana:

You are the opportunity.

• Build businesses in overlooked sectors.

• Solve real problems using tech, media, and design.

• Learn to attract funding, not just from government, but from global markets.

Government and private investors must shift funding and incentives toward you — not just foreign companies.

💼3. Create Enabling Ecosystems

Botswana’s leaders should:

• Set up entrepreneurial zones with tax breaks and affordable office space

• Back youth venture capital funds

• Reform education to prioritize critical thinking and digital fluency

🛑 No More “Selling to Survive”

Sending presidents overseas to promote diamonds is symbolic of a system clinging to the past. The new mindset should be:

“Build value here — sell solutions to the world.”

✅So yes, investing in Batswana is the best option.

Diamonds deplete. People grow. Ideas scale.

You’re right to believe in this — the bold path forward is one where Batswana build the next big stories in:

• African fintech

• Creative economies

• Climate tech

• Agro-industrial value chains

Several countries have transformed their economies and achieved long-term sustainable growth by heavily investing in human capital — particularly education, health, and workforce skills. Here are some of the most notable examples:

🇸🇬1. Singapore

Transformation: From a poor port city in the 1960s to a global financial and innovation hub.

Human Capital Investment Highlights:

• Made education compulsory and high quality (focus on STEM, bilingualism).

• Attracted multinationals through a highly skilled, disciplined workforce.

• Built world-class universities like NUS and NTU.

• Invested in lifelong learning through programs like SkillsFuture.

Impact:

One of the highest GDP per capita globally. Low corruption. High innovation index.

🇰🇷2. South Korea

Transformation: From post-war poverty in the 1950s to a high-tech manufacturing and digital economy.

Human Capital Investment Highlights:

• Aggressive public investment in education (98% literacy by 1990s).

• Focus on technical and vocational training for industrial growth.

• Created an innovation pipeline from schools → universities → corporations.

Impact:

Home to global giants like Samsung, LG, Hyundai. High-income economy. Top OECD education performer.

🇫🇮3. Finland

Transformation: From a resource-based economy to a top knowledge-based society.

Human Capital Investment Highlights:

• Revamped its education system to emphasize teacher quality and equity.

• No private schools; all schools publicly funded.

• Minimal standardized testing, high autonomy for teachers.

• Focus on creativity, critical thinking, and mental well-being.

Impact:

Consistently ranks top in global education indexes. Strong innovation and quality of life.

🇷🇼4. Rwanda (African example)

Transformation: From post-genocide devastation to a fast-growing service and tech economy.

Human Capital Investment Highlights:

• Massive investments in healthcare and education (universal primary education, health insurance for 90%+ of the population).

• Focus on ICT training and digital literacy (e.g., Kigali Innovation City).

• Gender equality in education and leadership.

Impact:

One of the fastest-growing economies in Africa. Becoming a continental hub for business and tech.

🇮🇱5. Israel

Transformation: From a small agrarian economy to a “Startup Nation.”

Human Capital Investment Highlights:

• Mandatory military service fosters leadership and tech skills.

• Massive government support for R&D and innovation education.

• Top universities producing high-tech talent.

• Strong culture of problem-solving and entrepreneurship.

Impact:

Highest number of startups per capita in the world. Global leader in cybersecurity, biotech, and AI.

🔑 Common Themes:

• Education access and quality

• Skills development for future industries

• Health systems that support productivity

• Support for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship

• Government + private sector alignment

🇧🇼 What This Means for Botswana:

If Botswana makes long-term investments in:

• Quality education for every Motswana child

• Scalable digital skills programs

• Tech hubs, accelerators, and research centers

• Healthcare access and mental health support

• Student-to-entrepreneur pipelines

…it can replicate the leap that Singapore or Rwanda made — but in a uniquely African way.