Women in Business Indaba for Gwanda

THE Women Alliance of Business Associations in Zimbabwe (WABAZ) which has been embarking on "Town Hall" meetings across the country finally makes its way to the Matabeleland South Capital Gwanda today.

WABAZ, which is a coalition of women in business associations, said the meetings being held would be used as a platform for local businesswomen to share ideas and network for the growth of women in Zimbabwe. Speaking to Bulawayo 24 News in an interview from Gwanda, the Membership Drive Chairlady of WABAZ Margaret Zharare said this initiative was aimed at creating awareness among women in business, that is, to educate and inform them about their different businesses and also to provide solutions to the challenges affecting women in business.

"We are holding the meeting to create awareness of the existence of the organisation and explain its total commitment to helping the different women's associations," she said.

Ms Zharare said the one day Indaba seeks to help the women from Gwanda get into networks with other organisations that can help them to be able to sustain themselves in the harsh economic environment.

"We want to link women associations with donors and to put them in the limelight and help to equip them with knowledge on how to run business in a proper way and to speak with one voice as women."

Zharare added that her organisation wants to work very closely with the women in Gwanda and help them move from being informal businesses to formal businesses. She added that her association is keen on the empowerment of the lowest levels of women in business so that they grow and be thriving business women.

WABAZ was formed in July 2010 under the auspices of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce for the purpose of connecting female entrepreneurs with the resources necessary to integrate them into the mainstream economy. It emerged out of a study by University of Zimbabwe lecturer Dr Charity Manyeruke into the enabling environment and potential for women's empowerment in the country.

The Territorial President of Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Associations (ZCIEA) Gwanda chapter, Mrs Lorraine Sibanda thanked WABAZ for taking their drive to Matabeleland South and Gwanda in particular as women in businesses in the area have been lagging behind in terms of empowerment.

"We want to thank WABAZ for remembering us and coming down to spend a day with us which we believe will be the start of a long term relationship that will benefit our local business women who are mostly operating informally to rise to the formal sector and be real competitors in the business world," she said.