Women talented but lack skills, says expert

By Sandra Machima

MORE than 250 women are benefiting from the Creative Thinking Women’s Initiative training aimed at improving their skills in Livingstone.

Naleli Women Initiative founder Namakau Siyanga said a lot of women were talented but lacked skills, hence failed to use the funds aimed at improving their lives wisely.

Ms Siyanga said management skills were vital to drive women’s empowerment, saying it was for that reason women must be trained to gain the necessary skills in whatever they were doing.

She said as much as the Government was trying to improve and engage women in various empowerment projects, there was need for women to understand the reason why they were funded through innovative skills.

“Our organisation is working to ensure women are equipped with various skills because sometimes it is not the funding that makes them vulnerable but the skills, hence failing to broaden their businesses,” she said.

Ms Siyanga said with the help of the well-wishers who donated about $2,000, her initiative had worked to the advantage of the majority women who were now able to do their business on the informed point of view.

She said women were trained in various entrepreneurship skills so that financial support given to them were used prudently if their lives were to improve.

“Sometimes it is not the question of finances but lack of skills that had led to many businesses failing to grow, and therefore with creative thinking innovative skills will help them build the bridge,” she said.

Ms Siyanga said her organisation was aimed at reaching all the women countrywide so that they were equipped with various skills and knowledge to ensure they live a sustainable life.

She said the expansion of the entrepreneurship horizon was a strategy for creating jobs and expanding the tax base.

She said women should utilise such opportunities to reposition themselves if they were to achieve gender equity and equality.