2009

Commitment to the Empowerment of the Female Learner

The Businesswomen’s Association (BWA) is an organization that prides itself as a platform for the inspiration and empowerment of women. As part of its efforts to support the objectives of the Cell C Take a Girl Child to Work Day initiative, the Soweto branch of the BWA hosted 50 Grade 12 pupils from 10 schools within Soweto for a full day of activities intended to assist them in making correct career choices.

The objectives of the event were to:

• Impart knowledge to the female learner
• Motivate and encourage under this year’s theme “Change Your World”
• Demonstrate BWA’s  commitment to the empowerment of the female learner
• Give the learner the opportunity to interact with guest speakers with the view to establishing long-term mentorship relationship

Speakers included Mama Angie Makwetla who spoke about the importance of choosing education before anything else. She highlighted the link between education and financial independence by encouraging learners to aim for degrees that will qualify them as professionals. Acknowledging the lack of finance to further one’s studies, Mama Angie urged the girls to actively look for bursaries and scholarships, approach various institutions and never give up.

Doris Msibi spoke on personal image and grooming while Pumla Ntsele spoke of careers in the media and publishing industries. Monique van Wyk focused on careers in the Hospitality Industry.

The event was sponsored by the Apartheid Museum, Exclusive Books, O Boticario, Mweb, Seltzer and SAB Miller. Participating businesses included Molobi Enterprises, Turner & Townsend and The Property Practice. Individuals who made the event a success are Dorothy Molefe-Mogotsi, Jill Axten, Shadi Molope, Adelaide Matlejoane and Zama Nkosi.