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Northern Businesswomen Conference marks 19 consecutive years

Northern Businesswomen Conference marks 19 consecutive years

The much anticipated Northern Businesswomen Conference was launched officially this week in Windhoek by the Economist Businesswomen Club. The conference, now a major feature of the North’s business calendar, is in its 19th year.

It is scheduled for 9 August, again at Bennies Entertainment park and Lodge in Ongwediva.

The 2018 Northern Businesswomen Conference builds on the established tradition of bringing value to rural entrepreneurs who often find themselves isolated from mainstream activities and financing.

Meme, Sara Elago, Patron of the Conference and Namibian Businesswomen of the Year 1999 invited women especially young women entrepreneurs with creative ideas to attend the conference because this a platform that can kick start their careers as future business moguls.

She said it has a proud history of creating new opportunities for women to share their expertise and skills, make new contacts, support one another and to create worthwhile business relationships.

Chairperson of the Economist Businesswomen Club, Desere Lundon-Muller said their club with more than 120 enlisted members constitutes the single biggest concentration of career women in the country and as such possesses a vast wealth when it comes to business experience.

“Therefore exposing their colleagues in the North to this accumulated pool of skills is the driving force behind the conference and is tailored to all women who want to increase their professionalism, job satisfaction, add value to their organisations and to encourage entrepreneurs,” she added.

Hasekiel Johannes, Innovation Officer at the Namibia Business Innovation Institution (NBII) said they are happy to be part of a project that empowers women and innovation only happens when there is a platform.

Commenting at the launch also, Public Affairs and Communication Manager of Coca-Cola, Enid Johr said they can not make any better investment than to a project that helps women, because once you empower a women you empower the whole community.

“In 2010 Coca-Cola globally announced that we want to empower 5 million female entrepreneurs by 2020, which is called programme five by 2020, and by support the conference takes us closer to that goal,” she added.

Magreth Mengo, Head Marketing, Standard Bank Namibia women at the help of entrepreneurship in all sectors are crucial as they contribute to economic growth and aid in creating a diverse innovative workforce. “Namibia is our home, we drive her growth, and in this perspective the growth of women entrepreneurs and economic growth in our country,” she said.

While, Oiva Angula, Head: Corporate Communications and Public Relations at Telecom Namibia said since the inaugural edition of the conference they have witnessed its growth into a highly anticipated event for businesswomen in the northern regions of the country to discuss and interact among themselves on issues, concerns and opportunities that would help them become successful entrepreneurs.

The 2018 Economist Businesswomen Northern Conference this year is sponsored by Telecom Namibia with N$64,430 which is approximately 25% of their total contribution of N$261,050 towards the Namibian Businesswomen Projects for this year and a laptop to the Business Idea competition winner; Standard Bank Namibia (N$85 000 and N$5 000) to the Business Idea Competition winner: Coca-Cola Namibia and SureRitz Travel (5 Airline tickets), NBII for their support and Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry who recently joined the list of sponsors.


Caption: Hesekiel Johannes, Innovation Officer at the Namibia Business Innovation Institution, Magreth Mengo, Head Marketing at Standard Bank Namibia, Olena Doyle, Marketing and Key Accounts Manager at Sure Ritz Travel, Enid Johr, Public Affairs Communication Manager at Coca-Cola Namibia, Meme Sara Elago, Patron of the Conference and Namibian Businesswomen of the Year 1999, Nangula Kauluma, Namibian Businesswomen of the Year 2017, Oiva Angula, Head: Corporate Communication and Public Relations at Telecom Namibia and Desere Lundon-Muller, Chairperson of the Economist Businesswomen Club at the launch of the 2018 Northern Economist Businesswomen Conference.


About The Author

Mandisa Rasmeni

Mandisa Rasmeni has worked as reporter at the Economist for the past five years, first on the entertainment beat but now focussing more on community, social and health reporting. She is a born writer and she believes education is the greatest equalizer. She received her degree in Journalism at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) in June 2021. . She is the epitome of perseverance, having started as the newspaper's receptionist in 2013.