19 Jul 2017

The Mma Mosadi Movement has been showered with accolades for playing a critical role in elevating Batswana women in business and bringing them together.

Different speakers aired their views during the Maun women empowerment and inter banks high tea seminar organised by the movement.

The movements vision is to be a provider of support and empowerment to the satisfaction of the society.

They said the movement brings together women irrespective of their views, origins, class and professions to come and share their stories with the aim to empower and touch others’ lives.

They said the movement also encouraged young entrepreneurs to network, share ideas, be determined, work hard, stay focused and also invest their time in business.

Different motivational speakers, pastors and well established business entrepreneurs took turns to share their success stories during an event held at Andansonia Hotel.

One of the entrepreneurs, Ms Snow Mabuto shared with the audience that empowerment was about breaking personal limitations.

She narrated her story on how she went through the hardship of living with the trauma of rape nine years ago while in the process of starting her consultancy business called Purple Art which specialises in registration of companies.

“It was painful but there was a time when I had to come to terms with the problem after I went through a mentorship programme, and today I am a proud entrepreneur who is eager to assist others and see them rising and investing their time in business rather than challenges,” she added.

Ms Mabuto noted that some people do not have self-esteem, hence they end up behaving in an unacceptable manner. However, she emphasised that sharing problems helped because it gave one hope and healing at the end.

She urged other women to stand up and face the challenges they encountered, noting that it may not be easy but that they should strive to ensure that they achieved their dreams.

She appreciated that a lot of women were bottled up with issues such as divorce, abusive relationships, the burden to look after families and rape, but encouraged them to take responsibility for their actions, lives and move on.

She explained that when she was going through a hard time, her partner used to tell her that “falling is an accident, but staying right there is someone’s choice.”

She emphasised that women empowerment was crucial to the success of businesses run by women.

Women were also advised to have boundaries in order to advocate for change.

Ms Mabuto said they should not hold to something that does not bring peace in their lives, but rather let their lives shine by speaking for themselves which eventually would touch other people’s lives.

Another speaker, Ms Kelebogile Disang described herself as a product of mentoring and networking as she also faced challenges in life, but managed to overcome them.

She emphasised the need for women to know who does what and where for easy networking and to grow businesses.

She also encouraged women to use the event as an opportunity to exchange business cards, support each other as well as to provide assistance to those struggling to open their own businesses.

“We women are known as gossipers, but it is time to prove that we are mother’s to each other and that we support each other to grow. If you are a product of mentoring and coaching you should pass that on to others,” she said.

One of the founders of the movement, Ms Theo Khumo said the aim of the movement was to empower women through workshops where they could reflect and shared ideas on how best to break into the market.

She said they believed that empowered women empowered the nation.

She said it was the third successful event held in Maun and thanked Maun women for responding positively and making their voices heard.

Ms Khumo said women were more capable of developing their regions and the country. BOPA