The Secretary for the Swapo Party Women's Council (SPWC), Fransina Kahungu, says there is a need for Namibian women to narrate their own stories and the role they have played in the development of the nation.

It is against this background that the Council called for a one-day workshop on the recording and collection of information about women in development, a strategic review of the wing's annual activities, and the planning of regional activities.

Speaking at Otjiwarongo, Kahungu says women's stories will give inspiration and guidance on what women have done and should continue doing.

"Essentially, we want to preserve, record, and document the history of the Swapo Party Women's Council to instil pride and enthusiasm and provide a road map for future successes. Some of you may not know that the SPWC is turning 54 or 55 years old, as it was conceived in December or January 1969 or 1970. The consultative Congress of SWAPO held the tanga in Tanzania. This shows that the woman's council had a long and rich history; it also shows that the leaders of our time were visionary and strategic by creating a woman's wing at the time."

Kahungu further called on the women's council to start grooming young women for leadership positions within the party to ensure continuous leadership.

She also pointed out the need for unity amongst all and the promotion of vocational studies to empower the youth with skills and abilities that impact the economy.

Otjozondjupa Regional Council Chairperson, Marlene Mbakera, called on the women's council to mobilise fellow women to vote for Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as the first female presidential candidate.

"We cannot sit and wait, we need to make things happen as women. Now that we have a female presidential candidate, we don't want to put her to shame. We want to be the frontrunners when the campaign starts. We should be the front runners; we should do that. The campaign is our campaign; men must follow; we don't want to be under command by men when it comes to our candidate, because while she's a woman, we should be the front runners of that campaign. "

Mbakera also called on women to keep up with current affairs and trends happening locally and internationally so they are well-versed in issues and information that will affect their development.

The workshop, which attracted key members from all 14 regions, was held under the theme "The toil of a woman comforts the nation: Enhancing SPWC's footprint through effective planning, implementation, and monitoring."