Women shine in 2015

Enacy Mapakame
Business Reporter
The year 2015 has seen significant strides in women economic empowerment, especially at grassroots level.
In previous years, upcoming businesswomen have cried foul over lack of access to capital and markets, lack of information necessary for business growth and financial management skills.
They said that such deficiencies were conspiring to dent their hopes of achieving long-term growth.
But 2015 was a different year for thousands of businesswomen, thanks to Government programmes.
Although lack of funding hampered most Government efforts to see the economic empowerment of women, over 7 400 women received capacity building in various sectors ranging from food processing, horticulture, mining, grain production, animal husbandry and conservation agriculture.
Others were sensitised on mining regulations, the importance of environmental assessment and training on customs and border regulations among others, according to the 2016 National Budget.
The year also saw Zimbabwe joining 144 other countries across the globe in celebrating women innovators, job creators, those launching start-ups, bringing ideas to life and driving economic growth at the inaugural United Nations Women Entrepreneurship Day (WED).
The annual WED was launched by the United Nations last year in New York and is celebrated on November 19.
The idea is to bring the conversation around supporting, empowering and celebrating women entrepreneurs to the forefront of the global agenda.
Women in business all agreed it was time for their agenda on entrepreneurship and empowerment to sit on the global map where local talent is celebrated, recognised, supported and put at the forefront of the world wide conversations.
From the financial services sector, construction and telecommunication services; women who are heading large corporations said the impetus for growth of women in business was abundant.
Mrs Chipo Mtasa, the managing director for TelOne, said team work and having an appreciation of the market’s needs had propelled the telecoms company to a profit making position.
When Mrs Mtasa joined TelOne, it was struggling and riddled with a huge debtors book.
In the telecommunications sector, the market is shifting towards the more convenient mobile phones, putting more pressure on fixed telephone service providers.
Under the guide of Mrs Mtasa, TelOne spread its business portfolio with aggressive investment into the broadband network service to compliment voice revenue, to tap into the needs of the market.
Securico Security Services managing director, Mrs Devine Ndhlukula implored on women in leadership positions to extend an olive branch to aspiring business women through provision of information and mentorship.
This, she said, would help to mould those upcoming businesses to grow into large corporations.
Mrs Ndhlukula told the first WED meeting in Harare that: “If women supported each other, they could grow their businesses into large entities.”
Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) director general and Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) chairperson, Dr Eve Gadzikwa said the biggest challenge for women in business was lack of self esteem. She said despite having brilliant ideas, most women lack the confidence to take on their male counterparts.
Mrs Letina Undenge, whose business portfolio ranges from manufacturing, electrical engineering, clothing, beauty therapy and lottery stressed the need to take one step at a time.
A mathematics teacher by training, Mrs Undenge was initiated into business while still in school, learning from her mother who used to knit jerseys for sale.
She emphasised on acquiring the necessary education, especially business management skills as well as upholding quality standards.
That way, products and services will stand out on the market.
Mrs Edna Mukurazhizha, a pastor, managing director at BancEasy and co-founder of Woman Excel encouraged women to “have more than one source of income to caution themselves against the challenging economic conditions”.
“Women have what it takes to grow and ought to put God first in what they do as well as break the glass ceiling through education and entrepreneurship,” she said.
In his 2016 National Budget, Finance and Economic Minister Patrick Chinamasa affirmed Government’s commitment to propel the empowerment of women in all spheres of the economy.
“Despite funding constraints, the 2016 Budget prioritises women empowerment projects and programmes, especially in view of the fact that they make up 52 percent of the country’s total population,” he said.
The budget will carry forward the various empowerment projects which are in line with Zim Asset’s objective on value addition and poverty eradication.
Although the year 2015 will draw to an end this week, women in business will continue to ride on its fortunes to shine in the coming years.