01 Sep 2024

Women play a key role in economic development and family financial management.

Speaking during Women's Finance House Botswana meet and greet session in Francistown on Thursday, the finance house's programme director, Ms Kgomotso Nong said women empowerment was essential to assist women to improve their standard of living.

She said their programme was focused on helping women with financial assistance and literacy, adding that financial literacy was a skill that all women should possess for the wellbeing of their businesses.

She also said they provided women with training and mentorship to empower them with business management skills. 

Ms Nong  added that they strictly catered for female Botswana citizens and urged women to have long-term goals to improve and grow their businesses.

For her part, Ms Mariam Ramokwena, a long time member of the finance house said it was a affordable financial programme with low interest rates that women should utilise to elevate their businesses.

She said the programme empowers women to strive for success and encourages working in groups.

Ms Ramokwena said she managed to grow her business of sewing and knitting through short loans that were available for women at Finance House Botswana.

She urged other women to consider the organisation as a financial aid facility and should return the loan in order to qualify for more.

Ms Eunica Dineo, from the Department of Gender, said patience in business was an important element that enabled growth and achievement.

She said women should aspire to achieve all the goals they set, and be firm and strict in operating their businesses in order to avoid failure.

Ms Dineo also said sharing information and networking amongst business owners also helped to overcome challenges,  adding that book keeping was a requirement for each busines.

For her part, Kgosi Golebagane Keditse of Donga said learning how to save was a good initiative.

She said financial literacy was vital in grooming women to be responsible. Ends