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Nobukhosi Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
WOMEN in business have been encouraged to make use of opportunities presented to them in different industrial sectors so that they open up avenues for their empowerment and growth.
The call comes as the nation, last Friday, joined the rest of the world in commemorating Women’s Day, with March being Women’s month, a period which seeks to acknowledge the progress made towards achieving gender equity and women’s empowerment.
Making presentations at an African Women in Construction and Manufacturing (AWICOM)-organised industry conference last Thursday, various speakers called for the continued empowerment of women to become entrepreneurs so that they can start innovative projects in the construction and manufacturing industry.
AWICOM aims at inspiring and empowering women to ensure they defy the odds and penetrate male-dominated sectors. The conference which was sponsored by Treger Group, ran under the theme; Finding opportunities in challenges for women in the industry.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, Raj Modi said women participation in economic growth was critical.
He said the mainstreaming of gender equality in all sectors must be scaled up in line with President Mnangagwa’s philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind.
“This event aims to empower and increase the inclusion of women in the construction and manufacturing sectors. The participation of women in driving economic growth and transformation is critical not only globally but nationally in Zimbabwe.
In this regard, as a country, we need to equip, mentor and build women who will start businesses in the construction and manufacturing sector,” he said.
Deputy Minister Modi applauded the event organisers (AWICOM) and encouraged them to continue pushing and empowering women. Miss Biata Nyamayaro, an entrepreneur and a human resource practitioner, with 15 years experience in the construction industry encouraged women to always give their best.
“Women should expose themselves to various industries and always open room for learning and acquiring skills. No matter how successful you are, do not limit yourself to one thing, you must always be eager to know and learn something new because you may never know how that will assist you in future. I have empowered myself through agriculture as I grow tomatoes and keep chickens. I am glad to be among the powerhouse here and I hope that as women we continue to defy the odds and do what is deemed impossible for us,” she said.
Engineer Catherine Mkandla, a production manager at a local construction company said the time had come for female entrepreneurs to break barriers and make inroads into the previously uncharted territory of industry.
“I know that construction is considered a dirty and laborious occupation. I would like to encourage every woman in this room to be bold enough to get into the construction industry because there are many career options within the sector. Construction is not all about getting your hands dirty. There are planners, marketing officers as well as health officers. Challenges are there but within those challenges are opportunities, so women, I encourage you to be confident and interact with people that broaden your mind because remember, your network is your net worth,” she said.
AWICOM secretary Miss Thabo Dube who was standing in for AWICOM’s founding director, Miss Nontokozo Ngwenya said the purpose of the conference was to empower women to become entrepreneurs so that they can start innovative projects in the construction and manufacturing industry. She said AWICOM offers women a platform to connect and indulge in business talks that leave them open minded and ready to tackle the world.
“AWICOM is a membership-based organisation that empowers women to major in various trades, even those that are male-dominated. We are now in an era where women do not have to depend on men for everything, therefore we encourage women to know that they can occupy space in male-dominated trades and acquire skills.
“In empowering women, we conduct training workshops where we teach women about construction, manufacturing and agriculture. These workshops assist the women in acquiring skills and also teach them to be self-dependent,” she said.
Miss Dube said as an organisation they also reach out to schools where they conduct career guidance and mentorship programmes to primary school, secondary school and tertiary students.
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