2021-05-02 13:05:32 GMT2021-05-02 21:05:32(Beijing Time) Xinhua English GABORONE, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Workers in Botswana had been used to working the normal 8-5 shifts and they would expect from their respective employers a pay rise and better working conditions. But that was until the COVID-19 pandemic struck this southern African country, known as a major producer of diamonds. Like other countries across the globe, Botswana implemented lockdowns and workers were stuck at home, as a precautionary measure to curb the spread and transmission of the global pandemic. These COVID-19 lockdowns imposed a negative impact on businesses, the youth, rural development and economic growth at large, as Botswana's economy shrank by 8.3 percent in 2020 due to deteriorated diamond sales.