The Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Social Welfare hosted a Women Business Association seminar at Okahandja attended by women from different constituencies in the region.
The two-day seminar addressed challenges faced by women in businesses, built the spirit of entrepreneurship by helping one another, and transferred skills to young businesswomen.
The Director of Community Development and Poverty Eradication in the ministry, Rosina Museke-Mubonenwa, said it is important for women to unite and create platforms to advance their business interests.
"You don't have information to share; you are now equipped with information to go and share with others. So, women, you can win if you unite. Because if you do it alone, you will not win. Men are winning because they are united. You see, men don't need associations. They have their own informal associations. So, the MDs, after 5 o'clock, when they knock off, they go to a bar."
Women Business Associations are being established in all the country's 14 regions to support women entrepreneurs to effectively market their products and services.
"To provide support to women entrepreneurs to effectively market their products and services through identification of market opportunities, creation of market access, product packaging, and branding of approved standards. I think it's also one of the challenges that we are having. We might have our beautiful products displayed here, but where are we selling them?" questioned Johanna Likando, Chief Community Liaison Officer in the Gender Equality Ministry.
The Mayor of Okahandja, Beatrice Kotungondo, called on the participants to stand up and become entrepreneurs of note.
"Explaining the importance of being a businesswoman these days, not expecting the government to offer us job opportunities or to create employment, but for us to stand up and become our own entrepreneurs, for us to employ other young people or to transfer skills to other young people."
The meeting was also attended by representatives from the Social Security Commission and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform who gave presentations.
A regional executive committee was also elected to spearhead the activities of the association in the region.