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Tafadzwa Ndlovu Herald Reporter
Former Mozambican First Lady Ms Graça Machel on Friday launched the Zimbabwe chapter of a network of African businesswomen aimed at empowering females from diverse sectors.
The Network of African Businesswomen, which is affiliated to the Graça Machel Trust, is headed by 13 women entrepreneurs and corporate leaders.
Speaking at the launch in Harare, founder of the trust, Ms Machel urged women to be organised to access funding for their businesses.
She urged women to speak with one voice.
“The platform of the trust is to acknowledge the good work you are already doing in your different networks, but the problem is that we are fragmented,” she said.
“If we are fragmented, we go with different perspectives to talk to various ministers in our specific sectors and Government gets confused because there are 100 voices speaking on behalf of women. As a result they find it difficult to prioritise who to respond to.
“We need to be organised so that we can strategise and redefine our priorities. Structural obstacles to women’s advancement must be removed.”
Speaking at the same occasion, Boka Tobacco Auction Floors chief executive Ms Rudo Boka said there was need for sustained empowerment of women in tobacco farming as they contributed immensely to the economy.
Online Reporter