Zim celebrates Womena��s Day in style

IT was a night of glitz and glamour and every winner was a woman last week in Harare as the country celebrated Womena��s Day in style with the Womena��s Top Leadership Excellence Awards.

From politics, tourism, business, civil society to media and education it was the a�?who is whoa�? of the female crop.

Patience Benza, the executive director for finance of Herentals Group of Schools and Colleges who walked away with a Business Leader of Year Award- withA� special recognition in financial administration excellence spoke to B-Metro.

a�?I am greatly honoured. Honestly I feel well appreciated because first of all as a woman, people tend to look at you differently but once they see that for example you are in charge of 33 branches of the college and other business ventures they know that you mean business,a�? she said.

For her it was not about the award per se but the recognition of women in leadership across the board. She paid homage to some of the nighta��s winners and nominees.

a�?We give women a good name in our different industries. Winner or nominee thata��s awesome,a�? she added.

Among the winners were television show host Rebecca Chisamba (Special Recognition in Media & Broadcasting Excellence award), media personality Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa (Top Leadership Excellence Media Brand of the Year award), Harare Provincial Affairs Minister Miriam Chikukwa (Special Recognition in Community & Humanitarian Leadership Excellence award), Public Service Minister Priscah Mupfumira (Special Recognition in Social Services Excellence award).

A total of 67 awards were given.

Kudakwashe Remba, a Herentals College management committee member noted that it was his bossa��s first individual accolade.

a�?Ita��s a first for her to win an award in her personal capacity. This proves that shea��s doing well in her office through the support of parents, students, staff and management of Herentals. We believe in gender equality and support the girl child as an institution hence we have several women in top management posts such as principals and heads of departments,a�? he said.

They say behind every successful man therea��s a woman and the same can be said about women.

Her husband Dr Innocent Dambudzo Benza complements her.

a�?My husband and the rest of the family are my driving force. The transition from being a wife at home to an executive at work is quite a humbling experience,a�? she said.

Benza was born a twin and has five children.

a�?I also draw inspiration from my twin sister. Shea��s not a spotlight person but has a lot of wise advice,a�? she added.

A holder of a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree, Benza also has time for leisure as an avid football follower. However, most of her football moments are taken by cheerleading her husband who turns out for their Herentals FC in the Northern Region Division One league.
a�?I am the cluba��s number one fan,a�? she said.
Just like most African families- the extended members of the family are equally important. As such, she dedicates time to spending time with the greater Benza family.
a�?I spend a lot of time visiting family and friends. Our home is always warm and welcoming therea��s hardly a time we dona��t have a visitor because we love them. It takes a village to raise a responsible person and thata��s the grounding I give to my five children,a�? she said.
In the business arena she added that she intends to go as high as she can.
a�?I am just getting started,a�? she said.