05 Dec 2018

Founder of Corroboree Investments trading as Wellness with Mbene says some women do not open up easily because of hardships they encounter in life.

Ms Mbene Letsamao-Lindemann said in an interview that women, especially those in the rural areas, faced hardship which they could not easily divulge.

Her company therefore conducted workshops and seminars to empower women and girls around the country.

Ms Letsamao-Lindemann said Corroboree Investments had adopted three primary schools and sponsored two girls through their mentoring programme to pursue a career of their choice.

The girls completed their Form Five and the course of their choice will run for six months.

The company, which was founded two years ago, has adopted Maposa, Sepako and Manxotae primary schools.

Ms Letsamao-Lindemann said they held motivational talks and seminars with pupils in those schools and extended to women in the villages.

She said she also had an annual event, which was held every November dubbed Annual Nata Women Empowerment High Tea aimed at empowering women and girls.

She said the event gave women an opening to share with others about issues they encounter in life and how to tackle them.

Ms Letsamao-Lindemann said some women had good jobs and even married but not happy because of what they went through therefore the event would help educate each other on how to make things work for them as well as how to adapt to situations they encountered.

“Women do not open up easily because of hard situations they find themselves in but when with other women sharing issues, they tend to open up,” she said.

The 55 year-old motivational speaker, a life coach and a retired nurse, said she was passionate about helping other people and to promote a healthy living.

She said in her crusade to help  others, she had realised that teachers living in rural areas were less motivated due to shortage of teaching facilities, so with the little support she rendered she had noticed a significant change.

She said in the three primary schools she had adopted, she often conducted motivational talks to raise their spirit towards learning and instilling a sense of belonging.  

Ms Letsamao-Lindemann said pupils were not awarded certificates during prize giving ceremonies and most schools did not have clear logos but this year for the first time they had something to embrace.

On another issue, Ms Letsamao-Lindemann raised concern about non-communicable diseases, which she said were common in the area.

She explained that the way people chose to live have had bad impact on their health.

She said diseases such as high blood pressure and obesity could be prevented through lifestyle diet and exercising.

She said she had started a walking club with other women as part of exercising.

She said as people did not afford gyms the club aimed at helping them fight non-communicable diseases.

They walk twice a day, in the morning and evening.

Ms Letsamao-Lindemann also owns a beauty spa that offers facial treatment, body massage, pedicure and manicure around Nata village.

She further explained that as women care much about their body and looks, it inspired her to start her own business as well as closing the gap in their village. ENDS