PORTFOLIO CASE STUDY

Building UNICAF's Ground Presence in Botswana

How I transformed a Cyprus-based educational brand into a trusted local partner through strategic events, community engagement, and authentic stakeholder relationships over 2 years

Role: Marketing & Business Development Manager
Duration: 2021 – 2023
Location: Botswana (Remote for Cyprus-based company)
4
Major Events Executed
High school workshop, teacher workshop, women's brunch, charity walk sponsorship
1st
Founding Sponsor
First-ever sponsor walk in Palapye, Botswana
High
Registration Conversion
Strong attendance across all events leading to course enrollments
Local
Brand Trust Established
Positioned Cyprus company as trusted local education partner

Project Overview

The Opportunity

From 2021 to 2023, I served as UNICAF's local representative in Botswana, progressing from Service Consultant to Marketing Consultant, and ultimately to Marketing and Business Development Manager. My mission was to establish on-the-ground presence for this Cyprus-based online education provider and build trust within the Batswana community.

UNICAF needed more than digital marketing—they needed a local face, authentic community relationships, and strategic partnerships to overcome skepticism about online education and international credentials. I became that bridge, transforming abstract brand awareness into tangible community impact.

Senior Manager Testimonial

"Monica actively fostered engagement with alumni and current students through thoughtfully planned events and workshops... She demonstrates particular strength in event management, ideation, coordination, budget oversight, communication, promotion, and stakeholder engagement."
— Ria Argyrides, Senior International Marketing Manager, UNICAF

Event Portfolio

High School Student Workshop

Public & Private Schools | Multi-Session Format

Objectives

  • Expose students to higher education pathways
  • Introduce UNICAF's online degree programs
  • Inspire academic ambition through guest speakers
  • Generate leads from graduating students

Key Outcomes

  • Strong attendance across multiple schools
  • High engagement during Q&A sessions
  • Direct inquiries about application process
  • Brand awareness among future students

Teachers Professional Development Workshop

Educators from Multiple Schools | Career Advancement Focus

Key Achievement: Positioned UNICAF as partner for teacher development, resulting in multiple master's program enrollments and school partnerships.

Women's Brunch Workshop

Female Students & Alumni | Empowerment & Networking

Impact: Created meaningful connections, renewed enrollments from alumni, and strengthened brand loyalty within female community.

🏃

First-Ever Sponsor Walk in Palapye

Founding Sponsor | Community Charity Event

Historic Achievement: Established UNICAF as first-ever sponsor walk supporter in Palapye, demonstrating corporate social responsibility and creating lasting brand goodwill.

Results & Impact

Key Achievements

Strong
Event Attendance Rates
Consistently achieved good attendance across all 4 major events
High
Registration Conversion
Events generated qualified leads that converted to course enrollments
1st
Founding Sponsor Recognition
First-ever sponsor walk supporter in Palapye
Local
Brand Trust Established
Cyprus-based company positioned as trusted local partner

Manager's Assessment

"Monica remained effective, collaborative, and solutions-driven, consistently delivering results even under challenging circumstances."
— Ria Argyrides, Senior International Marketing Manager, UNICAF

Skills Demonstrated

Event Management

  • End-to-end event planning and execution
  • Venue selection and logistics coordination
  • Speaker sourcing and management
  • Day-of-event coordination

Budget Management

  • Event budget planning
  • Vendor negotiations
  • Expense tracking and reporting
  • ROI measurement

Partnership Development

  • Strategic partnership identification
  • Memoranda of agreement drafting
  • Stakeholder relationship management
  • Cold outreach and pitching

Lead Generation

  • Strategic lead capture systems
  • Consultative client approach
  • Follow-up and conversion tracking
  • Business development reporting

Let's Build Your Brand Presence Together

I specialize in establishing authentic local presence for international brands, developing strategic partnerships, and executing high-impact community events that drive real business results.