Page 29 - Winning Women 2017

BWASA 29

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Cooperative membership is granted to FIND THE BRANCH FOR YOU
someone who: has a business address
that is based in the areas
geographically defined as rural or Gauteng Zululand
peri-rural; is a business owner, “We are in the hub of the country “In a country where we are struggling
budding entrepreneur or a farmer; is [Johannesburg] and have a newly with high levels of poverty,
recognised as a community leader in formed committee with the energy unemployment, and disparity, we
the area; or has contributed to the and spunk to run with the ball,” says recognise the importance of creating
advancement of women in business chairperson Nobuntu Webster. an enabling platform to accelerate the
and the community. Also, Webster is a Durban 2015 empowerment and development of
“The biggest thing about this regional business achiever award women who play a critical role in the
woman [in this category] is that winner in the entrepreneurship home, community and business,” says
irrespective of how much money she category, says branch coordinator chairperson Elaine Chetty.
makes on a daily basis she will always Boitumelo Bacela. Contact: Chetty at 035 789 0490 or
be selling on the street – she doesn’t Plus, Bacela is based at head office elainec@seeff.com.
have a framework of how to grow her and is able to liaise with head office
business. and get immediate results. East London
“For me that would be the basics Contact: Bacela: 011 484 4945 or “For an opportunity for business and
that she would get from the gauteng@bwasa.co.za; or Webster: personal development this branch is a
association.” nobuntu@africanpursuit.com platform for like-minded women to
There are other tweaks that would meet and exchange ideas that make
help the growth of the business. Durban our communities better,” says
“Growth doesn’t necessarily mean she Join the Durban branch if you would chairperson Deidre Nxumalo-Freeman.
will have bricks and mortar. But it like to be linked with an organisation “It’s a place to empower and grow
means she will have money to send her whose first point of call for women is women and you make invaluable
children to school, afford better public to provide mentorship, development networks because it houses the highest
transport, or reinvest in the business,” and coaching of women. calibre of women.”
says Msibi. “We provide ongoing opportunities Contact: Nxumalo-Freeman:
to advance the interests of women,” 043 745 1005 or elchair@bwasa.co.za; or
Student chapter membership (R150) says chairperson Debbi van Heerden. branch coordinator Sibongile
This is also a new category, and was Contact: Catherine Smith: 082 352 Mtshemla: 043 722 6138 or
started mainly because there was a 1041 or dbn@bwasa.co.za; or Van el@bwasa.co.za
gap,” says Msibi. Heerden: debbi@mitras.co.za or
“We had the Businesswomen of 082 483 3747 Port Elizabeth
Tomorrow programme [See Page 33], “The branch is 450 members strong
which caters for high-school students, and we all support one another,” says
and our next step up was for women chairperson Michelle Brown.
who are working. We realised there “In a small city, business is often
was a gap between matric and working built not only on good business ethics,
– for those four years we were but on relationships as well. We give
abandoning young women to navigate you the platform to do just that.”
for themselves. Contact: Branch coordinator
“There is also a gap between Samantha Bowers on 041 367 1104 or
older women and high-school pe@bwasa.co.za
students – the appropriate
mentors they need are those who Cape Town
are in university; the age difference The benefit of joining lies in the
makes it easier for them to relate. A power of women in community.
big sister network will ensure that “The branch created an environment
these girls accelerate.” within which women can
General or full membership in this increase their skills, grow
category is granted to someone who is their businesses and
a registered student at an institution of build relationships with
higher learning in South Africa. other dynamic women,”
“If I had a mentor when I was at says chairperson Lerato
varsity my life would look Mgidlana.
completely different – not Contact: Branch coordinator
that I’ve been unable to Cheryl Steyn on ct@bwasa.co.za or
succeed but I possibly 021 671 6118 or Mgidlana on
wouldn’t have taken as long. I lerato.mgidlana@gmail.com
might not have made so many
mistakes. Limpopo
“There are life skills that I learnt in “We are a network of women
adulthood, that I’m now teaching these striving to equip the women of
girls. We do mock interviews, Limpopo with the necessary
networkings, skills outside of class to tools they need to excel in
show them how to differentiate their businesses,” says
themselves from the pack – we are branch chairperson
intentionally building the next Mmabogoshi Msiza.
generation of leadership.” Contact: Msiza on
msizamb@gmail.com or
082 801 5214 or branch coordinator
Elizabeth Modiba on
limpopo@bwasa.co.za or 083 278 2040.
PHOTO: ISTOCK