23 Oct 2017

Women In News (WIN) programme aims among others to enhance the performance of women in the media industry.

WIN project manager Ms Molly Chimhanda said at a WIN workshop held for this year’s participants that the programme came about as a result of the under-representation of women in news.

She said the programme addressed the gender imbalance in the media and also mobilised the industry to create an environment that supported women in the media to succeed.

Ms Chimhanda indicated that to attain this, WIN had since inception, been using several strategies such as training, coaching, networking and peer mentoring.

Further, she pointed out that some of the outcomes for the programme, which runs for one year, included availing participants the opportunity to network as well as to be mentored by those with the expertise and experience in the media.

She said WIN also sought to bring about positive social change; whereby beneficiaries of the programme would after completion give back to the community through providing mentorship to other women in the news industry.

WIN Africa director Mr Tikhala Chibwana spoke of the importance of mapping out one’s career roadmap.

He said it was also worth noting that the skills needed for drawing up a career roadmap, could also be applied to mapping out the direction that one’s personal life could take.

He urged the participants to note that each person was created for a purpose, and that what was necessary to realise that purpose was already within each individual.

Mr Chibwana said self-discovery and self-knowledge were thus critical to knowing one’s purpose in life.

Ms Paula Fray, the WIN lead trainer underscored the importance of flexibility and adaptability in leaders.

She said the only thing that was certain in media was change.

This, he observed how important it was for leaders in the industry to evolve as they assume an increasingly diverse range of new responsibility.

For her part, WIN steering committee member Ms Beata Kasale hailed the programme for the good fruits that it had begun to bear.

Ms Kasale indicated that since the programme started, the participants had grown tremendously in their career.

Also, she said the programme was good as it continued to bring about personal growth and upliftment.

The programme has this year enrolled eight women from different media outlets in the country. ENDS