Shafudah trust sends first students to UNAM
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Ericah Shafudah, launched her trust after becoming the Namibian Businesswoman of the Year. The trust ended 2014 on a high note, providing financial training to women, and selecting the first students that will start their studies in the financial discipline this year at UNAM.
On 10 January 2015, three learners’ dreams became a reality when they were chosen by the fund’s trustees and representatives from UNAM as the winning candidates to enroll at the university for the next four years to complete their degrees in Financial Management focusing either on Bachelor of Accounting; Bachelor of Chartered Accountancy or Bachelor of Economics. The candidates were selected from the Hardap, Kavango West, and Oshana regions. These regions were drawn during a live chat show hosted by Radio Wave’s Waking Crew. An excited Shafudah commented that “the young school girls will now become young women with the opportunity to define their career path in finance. We are thankful to have been able to provide them with such a life changing opportunity”. 2014 also ended on a high for the Foundation. Shafudah and the fund’s executive committee hosted a Financial Training workshop for SMEs on 13 December at the Xwama Cultural Restaurant in Wanaheda.
The one-day Basic Accounting Workshop was facilitated by Mr Julian Davy du Plessis, a lecturer in accounting at the Polytechnic who offered the training in his private capacity. About twenty women and one man from the SMEs sector participated.
Feedback from the attendees were heart-warming. All participants felt that the Foundation should continue with these kinds of workshops as it opened their eyes regarding book keeping, reconciliation of accounts and new accounting terminologies. Most of the participants indicated their willingness to be used by the Foundation as trainers of trainees and to become advocates of the Foundation in every way. Participants were given an assignment that is due on 16 February 2015 after which they will be given certificates for Basic Accounting. Shafudah shared some tips with the participants at the end of their session, stating that each milestone in growth should be celebrated, but also used as a building block for the next career targets. “Never think small”, reiterated the petite Shafudah, “as your life was meant to be great in many ways, and you need to claim it”. The trust fund would like to thank all sponsors and stakeholders for supporting the fund financially during 2014, and hopes to go from strength to strength in months and years ahead. “We thank you, value you, and please let us join hands again in 2015”, she said.The Fund’s trustees are Ericah Shafudah (Chairperson), Taina Nankela, Rebecca Iyambo, Patty Karuaihe-Martin, Natasja Beyleveld, Shivute Indongo, Trephine Kamati and Sylvia Demas.
