All set for Bulawayo ‘business shower’

TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO 

A Bulawayo women’s group, Pusheka Girl, is set to hold a ‘business shower’ on Saturday to encourage and promote women empowerment in the  country’s second largest city.

Pusheka Girl founder Makaita Tekere said it will be an opportunity for women entrepreneurs to network and learn from each other.

“Pusheka Girl holds ‘business showers’ every quarter of the year, whereby we network and sell products from different businesses owned by our members.

This helps in growing each other’s clientele and making new connections in terms of business ventures,” Tekere said, adding this year they decided to “go bigger than what we usually do and combine a business seminar and the usual shower as well”.

“We have secured speakers that will speak on women empowerment and how to strategically grow their businesses.”

Pusheka Girl is a business development company focused on giving women-led companies access to resources and markets. Pusheka offers strategic partnerships by connecting African entrepreneurs to relevant organisations

It enables a wealth mindset by giving entrepreneurs access to funding and education.

Tekere said empowering women was essential to the development of communities.

“We will have speakers who will talk about how one can grow their business and the principles that one needs when starting a business. We decided to combine a business seminar and the shower as well so that people can have an idea of what it takes to have a sustainable business that is essential to the community,” she said.

“Empowering women is essential to the health and social development of families, communities and countries. When women are living safe, fulfilled and productive lives, they can reach their full potential. Empowering girls is the key to economic growth, political stability and social transformation.”

She said Covid-19 negatively impacted their business.

“Covid-19 has been a difficult phase that is being faced globally but we are trying to find ways through it by observing all health measures,” Tekere said.

As a member of the United Nations, Zimbabwe was initially guided by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which expired in 2015, in particular MDG 3 which envisaged an increase in the proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments.

After the expiry of the MDGs, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted to run up to 2030 and SDG 5 seeks to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Tekere urged women to stand together and encourage each other.

“Women should stand together and encourage each other to work hard

Gone are the days where it’s only the man that provides , as a woman you need to also take care of yourself and the only way you can do that is by starting something of your own.

She said Zimbabwe stands to achieve the SDGs in line with vision 2030 by ensuring that the rights of women are heard and that women are included in all aspects and Pusheka Girl have a mandate to “turn promise into action”.

According to the Inter Parliamentary Union report on women in politics for 2020, Spain has the highest number of women in ministerial positions at 66.7% while Rwanda is ranked number 8 in the world and one in Africa with 53.6% followed by South Africa at 48.3% while Zimbabwe is at 20.8%.

In the same report, Rwanda leads in terms of women representation in parliament with 61.3% while South Africa is number two in Africa with 46.3% while Zimbabwe is at 31.9%.