9 August 2005
Elangeni Hotel
Review by: Matjale Matsaung
"I'm like a teabag: you don't know how strong I am until you put me in boiling water" - young WIWP learner
The night before
On the evening of 8 August, 9 phenomenal BWA women gathered to prepare 160 learners and 40 educators for a day they would always remember. A day that would enrich their knowledge of the workplace, introduce them to imperative business and life skills, allow them to explore and discover some of their talents and teach them to dream.
Amantha Maharaj, Natalie Hands, Nonkululeko Matiwane, Margaret Kruger, Matjale Matsaung, Ruth Grantham, Shiraz, Khan, Zainab Mahomed, and Vani Moodley our Chairperson, were hard at work putting together 200 goodie bags filled with every teenage girl's dream: cosmetics, personal care products, pamper packs, magazines, stationery and books to the brim.
During the planning phase of the project, these women had done a superb job of leading designated portfolios that were the key pillars for a successful day; from Schools Management, to Sponsorship, Speakers & Performers, Programme Management and Events Management.
This year's essay topic that the girls wrote on was "Imagine: South Africa's Female President by 2010" What will it mean for our country? The room was aptly and brightly decorated in South African flag colours. The decor sponsored by Magic Moments combined with the talents of Izani Events Management, captured the "Africa meets Business" theme well.
An early morning
The girls from 56 schools arrived to morning tea at The Elangeni Hotel, with their essays completed and ready to be graded by our expert panel of Markers: Professor Fikile Mazibuko, Mariam Motalla and Caryn Walker
The findings by our markers were significant and the committee made a decision to send the report to the KZN Ministry of Education.
Top Knowledge Sharing
The BWA was privileged to have a programme of high calibre businesswomen impart their knowledge and share their successes. This in itself is considered to be sponsorship from our speakers, some of whom spent most of the day with us.
In order to set the tone for the day, we were presented with a brief introduction to Networking by Margaret Kruger, followed by:
- Cindy Norcott on her Success as a Woman Entrepreneur
- Vuyo Mahlati our Guest Speaker, who gave the girls Lessons for Success
- Bea Campbell-Young on how to approach independence in When Chains Break
- Dominique Nass on How to use Assertiveness in the Workplace
- Menake Padayachee on using EQ (Emotional Intelligence) in the Workplace
- Carol Baekey on Landing that First Job
- Thandi Dlamini on how to Make it in Business, without a tertiary qualification
- Nonhlanhla Shangase on Lifestyles - inside and outside
- Nosipho Damasane on Being a Top Woman in a Male-dominated industry
- Mariane Vorster taught the girls the importance on Managing my Finances
- Vani Moodley spoke on Relationships in the Workplace
- Hilary Mitchell's Personal Branding talk was quite memorable as it was followed by a "Battle of the Brands" session, where we asked each girl to brand themselves.
The room then voted for the best personal brand:
"I am like a teabag: you don't know how strong I am until you put me in boiling water". So if we happen to call you a teabag, it is in fact a compliment!
In order for WIWP projects to be deemed successful, we need to hear directly from the girls what their expectations of the day are and meet their needs. An evaluation form scoring the speakers and the event was completed by each attendee. The feedback enables BWA to understand what the most pertinent issues in the lives of young matriculants are and shape the programme for 2006.
Between the educational talks, Nokwazi Ngidi entertained the girls with modern dancing, Rampule with jazzy notes from his musical fingertips and DJ Mdu with his latest mixes.
The girls were excited to have Desire Simelane of East Coast Radio (ECR) as the day's master of ceremonies even before she arrived. Desire and the entertainers gave of their time and kept the girls and educators singing, dancing and attentive.
And the winner is
Nonhlanhla Shangase joined us for the day in her capacity as CEO of The Telkom Foundation, one of our two title sponsors, as did Lunga Ngcobo, Public Relations Manager of South African Port Operations.
The Telkom Foundation sponsored each of the top 10 Essay Winners with a Personal Computer, run by Microsoft sponsored software. The foundation also sponsored 200 copies of "Inspirational Women at Work" by Lisel Erasmus-Kritzinger and transport to and from the venue for girls who lived exceptionally far out of Durban.
To assist the top girl in operating her brand new PC, Varsity College sponsored a year's computer training course.
South African Port Operations sponsored the venue, all catering, which came with an Events Management company, Izani, to support the team from beginning to end.
Our markers had completed the process and excitement rose in those girls who had taken the time to complete a 400-word essay, each hoping that they would be the lucky one to claim the incredible prizes. The top ten girls ranked from the winner down were:
- Nasreen Cassim, Alsala College
- Nqobile Bhengu, Inqabakazulu High School
- Nomfundo Khanyile, Inqabakazulu High School
- Zandile Lushaba, Intshisekelo High School
- Zainab Moola, Inqabakazulu High School
- Felima Kista, Reservoir Hills Secondary School
- Phindile Hlombe, Sacred Heart
- Ebrahim James, Ali-Falaah College
- Nosipho Dladla, Durban Girl's Secondary School
- Zizo Tutshana, St James College
The winning girl also received some key prizes such as free BWA membership for 2006, which will allow Nasreen to start her journey as a businesswoman quite early in life. Nandi Heritage sponsored an all-expenses trip to Bidvest Head Offices in Johannesburg, where the top girl will spend a day with the CEO of the organisation to see for herself "how it's done".
Our congratulations to Inqabakazulu High School for having three of the top ten winners.
In recognising our Sponsors for the day, we must begin with the BWA businesswomen who stepped up to the mark and generously sponsored the event:
- Mathabo Kunene (Nandi Heritage)
- Theodora Ngidi (NT Ngidi & Consulting)
- Nazira Osman (BP Arena Park)
- Susan Abro (Susan Abro Attorney)
- Shireen Pillay (City Plastics)
- Georgina Mulder (Designing Women)
- Yegus Naidoo (WoodStreet Furniture Manufacturers
- Rene Wyatt (Spar), who assisted us in securing Johnson & Johnson sponsorship
- Shiraz Khan (Shiraz Khan Optometrists)
- Thina Siwendu (Siwendu & Partners) *** prize deferred to 2006
Other key Sponsors who the day could not have been held without included:
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- Holiday Inn The Elangeni Hotel
| - Holiday Inn Marine Parade
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- Sales Solutions Corporation
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- South African Ports Operation
| - Business Management Consultants
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Winning in the Workplace has proven itself a recipe for success and with the increased generosity of the sponsors we have grown both in the number of attendees and extended our reach to areas beyond the greater Durban. This is an opportunity for leading businesswomen to give of themselves and / or their businesses, and in so doing contribute to the success of a girl's future career.
The 2006 event marks our 10th anniversary which in itself speaks of the impact that the event has gained over the years. So if you want to do something meaningful on Women's Day please contact BWA and you too can share in the WIWP vibe.