Cape Town
Catherine Day
After graduating with Honours in Business Science Finance from the University of Cape Town, Catherine worked in the financial services sector in London as a management consultant and then for Lehman Brothers where she was as an associate in the equitiy sales division. Catherine is currently completing her MBA at the University of Cape Town's Graduate School of Business and is delighted to be associated with the Businesswomen's Association.
Durban
BWA Bursary Awarded to an Impressive and Deserving Candidate
In KZN, the Businesswomen’s Association has been somewhat modest in publicizing its role in promoting women in business. The networking opportunities may be relatively well-known, but there is more to BWA than that. Juggling their own professional career and family commitments, members of the BWA still find time for an array of projects designed to develop and support women in business.
One such project is the BWA Bursary Scheme, awarded to an exceptional woman who must have completed her undergraduate degree and be registered for postgraduate study. She must have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and financial need. And she must stand out from the crowd. The woman who wins the BWA Bursary must be destined to make her mark on South African business.
Nombuso Msomi
Nombuso Msomi is the 2009 winner of the KZN Businesswomen’s Association Bursary. In her own words, Nombuso has defied her humble background in the quest to reach for her dream.
Nombuso’s academic career was almost derailed by well-meaning teachers who, identifying her superior talents in Grade 10, catapulted her into Grade 12, skipping a year, resulting in her matric results being insufficient to attract scholarships for tertiary education. The subsequent death of both parents left Nombuso the head of her family, determined to earn a living to support her siblings. A low-level job at a shoe company kept Nombuso busy until she realised she needed to step up and she changed jobs three times, each time improving her situation.
While working for Umgeni Water, Nombuso enrolled in a 3 year Bachelor of Business Admin degree, got married and had a child and still managed to complete her degree in 3 years part-time, complete with a Dean’s Commendation for Academic Achievement, an invitation to join the Golden Key International Honour Society and Ccertificates of Merit in Accounting, Project Management and Corporate Strategy.
Nombuso has no shortage of determination and perseverance, and is currently enrolled in the MBA programme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, travelling from Pietermaritzburg to Westville several days a week to attend lectures.
Nombuso has been awarded a bursary of R11 000 and a year’s membership to the Businesswomen’s Association. The BWA wishes Nombuso every success in her MBA studies and in her professional career, and is delighted to be able make a contribution to her future.
If you’d like to join the Businesswoman’s Association, or can assist in sponsoring any of their charitable projects, please contact Catherine Smith on 031 261 8668 or email dbn@bwasa.co.za
Catherine Smith - BWA Co-ordinator, Ann Druce - BWA Committee, Nombuso Msomi - recipient of the 2009 KZN BWA Bursary
Zululand
The Businesswomen's Association has been awarding bursaries to deserving post-graduate (women) students, since 1988. The funds are generated from the profits of the Annual Businesswoman of the Year Award (held since 1980) and are awarded to students across South Africa.
The Zululand BWA branch was proudly able to award two bursaries this year. Our BWA bursary of R10 000 for 2010, was handed to Diana Ntobaki.
We were also fortunate enough to have been sponsored a R10 000 bursary from Boston College which was awarded to Pretty Mazibuko.
Diana Ntobaki
Pretty Mazibuko