Women Creating Wealth (WCW) South Africa Women in Agribusiness 2021The latest Women Creating Wealth(WCW) South Africa Women in Agribusiness cohort graduated in a virtual event on August 13, 2021. The 26 graduates went through a 16-week programme first piloted as a 10month programme in 2016 in Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania. The programme uses the interactive GAIM methodology, which comprises goal setting, accountability, inspiration and mastery.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has seen the WCW programme shift from face-to-face training in 2018 to webinars based training in 2020 to a 16-week blended learning digital offering. In addition, through the Pan-African entrepreneurship development programme, women entrepreneurs have grown businesses and transformed their behaviours, skills, and confidence.Â
Since its inception, the programme has continuously innovated itself to directly respond to the WCW entrepreneurs’ needs through its four core pillars. These pillars are (1) Personal Leadership and Entrepreneurship Mastery to build resilience and confidence for growth, (2) Peer and master Coaching to strengthen and optimise opportunities for collaboration, (3) Deepen learning and strengthen commitment and accountability to performance, and (4) Winning Markets, Gearing for Growth serves to address market access, building business systems for growth and Know Find and Grow your Money to strengthen financial management and investor readiness.Â
After the 16-Week programme, all alumni become part of the WCW Connect and Inspire regional networking platform and the WCW Marketplace Business Directory.
Dr Shungu Gwarinda, GMT Programme Director, highlighted the project’s milestones and achievements to set off the event. Afterwhich the graduates received their awards and recognition as below:
Resilience
- Lina Nthokola- Perserverance
- Victoria Moloi- Resourceful
- Maggy Balogo- Courageous and Confident
Attentive and Studious
- Tankiso Morule
Diligence
- Phuti Mphelo
Leadership Excellence
- Tracy Marobobo- Grounding
- Phiwokuhle Shabangu- Go Getter
- Sibongile Mtsabe- Motivational and cheerleader
Performance driver
- Livhuwani Mulaudzi
Group Cohesion & Performance
- Group 5
- Tracy Marobobo
- Palesa Moahloli
- Disebo Makatsa
- Puseletso Tsoeu
- MichŃle Schiess
FUN AWARDS
- Itumeleng Matla- Still water runs deep
- Maanda Phophi- Stella Got Her Groove Back
- Nolwazi Mkhize- Think Tank
- Ethel Zulu- Making Farming Fashionable
- Late Bloomers
- Group 3Â
- Florence Mamabolo
- Nolwazi Mkhize
- Phuti Meso
- Portia Ligege
- Dembe Tshivhase
- Ethel Zulu
- Sibongile Cele
The Sisterhood Award
- Dembe Tshivhase
- Palesa Moahloli
- MichŃle Schiess
- Phuti Meso
- Sibongile Cele
- Lerato Mokoko
- Portia Ligege
- Nelly Poonyane
- Puseletso Tsoeu
- Thato Lekhera
- Glenrose Nkosi
Afterwards, the entrepreneurs shared their experiences of the 16-week journey. Dr Nolwazi Mkize expressed the cohort’s appreciation for the entrepreneurship development programme. “With this programme, we have gained so much valuable knowledge, and we also got to learn from each other. In addition, we have gained sisters and business partners. Without this programme, we would not have met and built such valuable relationships,” she said in part.
Dr Mkize also added she has learnt about the poultry business from her group and has gained more confidence, thanks to the programme.
Tambu Ndoro, Women’s Economic and Social Advancement Programme (WESA), highlighted the initiative and upcoming events. For Gender Lens Investment’s Andia Chakava provided highlights of the soon to be launched Women Investment Fund.
The audience listened to the WCW Alumni Programme overview from Nkosi Julia. She also welcomed the graduates into the business community. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks and remarks from Korkor Cudjoe, Technical Support and Advisory Consultant at The Graça Machel Trust.
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