Evidence suggests that female entrepreneurs constitute a significant and
growing proportion of owners and managers of small enterprises. Despite this,
in Africa, traditionally some assistance programmes have not considered female
entrepreneurs. However, recently, women entrepreneurship has drawn much
interest from policy makers. This empirical research investigates women
students’ aspirations in venture creation in Botswana, contributing to this body
of knowledge. Data was obtained from a survey of seventy six University of
Botswana women students and a focus group discussion with ten of these
women. The findings suggest that a majority of the women students (88 per
cent) aspire to start their businesses when they graduate. Their aspirations
were motivated by a combination of ‘push’ and ‘pull’ or triggering factors. The
influence of role models on the entrepreneurial desire of the women students
was evident. Additionally, the women cited independence, earning their own
money and self-empowerment as their aspirations to start businesses. Their
socio-cultural status was identified as an impediment to their business start-up
aspirations. Recommendations for policy makers to devise programmes that
would motivate women students to start their businesses are outlined.