21 Oct 2018

First Lady, Ms Neo Masisi has urged women, entrepreneurs, to maintain the spirit of unity and togetherness and create synergies that will enable them to expand their businesses beyond Botswana borders.

She said this during the Lionesses of Africa Lean-In session in partnership with Stanbic Bank on October 19, which was intended to inspire and connect aspiring and established women entrepreneurs to share details of advancing their entrepreneurial skills.

“Women entrepreneurs are game-changers in their respective business sectors and I consider them enablers as they create a significant shift in current ways of doing things. They have the power to bring about change in the new economic development of our country and the rest of Africa,” she said.

Ms Masisi reiterated that the reason why women held such an incredible potential and credentials on the continent was that Africa had the highest percentage of women entrepreneurs in the world, with around 26 per cent of them in business.

She said women entrepreneurs in developing countries continuously reinvested what they made back into their communities, extending the value chain of their businesses and their efforts.

“Women entrepreneurs are remarkable engineers for job creation. It is projected that millions of the much-needed jobs will be created predominantly through small businesses which are mostly run by women,” she said.

The First Lady also noted that women entrepreneurs were a key building block of thriving democracies and the link between women’s economic empowerment, women’s entrepreneurship and democracy.

For many generations, she added, women had always understood the simple concept of barter and commerce, which she hoped would continue to inspire new generations to do more for their businesses to grow.

Ms Masisi commended Lionesses of Africa for its work of supporting and mentoring entrepreneurs not just in Botswana but Africa as a whole. She said they were contributing to the development of women, adding that their invaluable networking experience availed to women entrepreneurs would continue to bear fruit to the talented Batswana women. She encouraged the spirit of working together to ensure that Botswana becomes a successful business hub facilitated by capable women who were a source of inspiration.

“Government continues to strive in the provision of a conducive environment that allows business to thrive. It also calls for us as citizens to help drive the growth of the economy of our country by establishing a viable business. Hence, let us continue to promote a positive culture that can take this country forward in terms of job creation and poverty eradication,” she added. She further noted that “our agenda as women should always remain meaningful and impactful as our national Vision 2036 recognises equal women participation in the economic, social and political development of this country.”

For her part, Stanbic Bank board member, Ms Orefitlhile Masire said for the past 26 years it has been in Botswana, the bank has worked its way in moving Batswana forward, and that included women in business.

She said the bank extended itself beyond just banking but also provided exposure, information and expertise to its clients to foster an environment that facilitated their growth and success.

She highlighted that partnering with initiatives such as Lionesses of Africa was another way in which the bank was assisting women in business and job creation. She said Stanbic Bank strived to empower women to be able to make a positive impact in communities they serve. ENDS