BY THEMBA ZWANE
EZULWINI – Minister of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Senator Savannah Maziya has challenged women to stop putting themselves last and deliberately invest in their knowledge, careers, happiness and future.
Maziya delivered the call during her keynote address at the InnovateHER Indaba held at the Royal Swazi Convention Centre in Ezulwini on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
Speaking passionately about women’s empowerment, personal development, technology and the future of work, the Minister said women needed to take responsibility for preparing themselves for a rapidly changing world.
“Invest in yourself,” Maziya urged.
She said women should not define themselves only by their responsibilities to other people.
“I ask people, who are you? Oh, I’m a mother. No, no, no. That’s titles. Who are you?” she said.
Maziya encouraged women to take time to discover themselves, arguing that people could become so occupied with caring for families, careers, businesses, churches and communities that they ultimately neglected themselves.
She said self-investment was particularly important because the world of work was undergoing dramatic technological changes.
Artificial intelligence, she noted, was becoming embedded in almost every area of life and work.
“The jobs that are being lost, more jobs are being made, but are we ready to take up those jobs?” she asked.
She warned that occupations that have traditionally provided employment could increasingly be transformed by automation.
“Bank tellers, PAs, it’s all going. It’s all going,” she said, while emphasizing that people needed to prepare themselves for the opportunities that would emerge from technological change.
Maziya said this was one reason her ministry was focused on building capacity in Eswatini, particularly among women.
She urged women to embrace Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), saying areas such as space technology were no longer distant or unrealistic for Emaswati.
“Learn about space. It’s not a far-off thing,” she said.
She revealed that Eswatini already has satellites and is preparing for further participation in the space sector, while also working towards expanded fiber-optic connectivity across the country.
The developments, she said, demonstrated why women needed to prepare themselves for the future rather than waiting for opportunities to arrive.
The Ministry of ICT has been promoting STEM development and encouraging Emaswati with STEM skills to register through the country’s STEM Skills Registry, with the stated objectives of showcasing human capital, connecting experts, attracting investment and strengthening future generations.
Maziya also spoke about confidence and freedom from other people’s judgments.
She said women were sometimes quick to question other women’s choices, asking, “Who does she think she is?”
Her answer was that a woman should be able to define herself according to her own journey and values, provided she was not harming or taking advantage of others.
She used her own choice of hair color as an example, saying women should not have to explain every personal choice simply because someone else disapproves of it.
“What matters is what I think about me,” she said.
Maziya said every day should be viewed as an opportunity to become better than the previous day.
She also placed strong emphasis on happiness.
The Minister said happiness should not simply mean pretending everything was fine. Rather, she described it as a deliberate daily choice rooted in gratitude, faith and a willingness to give to others.
She encouraged women to wake up grateful for life and to give as much as possible to the next person.
For Maziya, personal happiness was closely connected to service.
She said her life’s objective was to be able to go to bed each night knowing that she had made somebody else’s life better, even if that contribution was simply through a kind word or helping someone recognize that they needed to make a difficult change.
She urged women to stop merely surviving and instead thrive.
The Minister acknowledged that people often arrive at public events looking happy and successful while carrying private struggles that others know nothing about.
“What horrible marriages they come from? What horrible families that are not supporting each other?” she asked, emphasizing that individuals have a personal responsibility to pursue happiness despite difficult circumstances.
Maziya also called for greater support among women.
She criticized the tendency for women to remain silent when another woman needs encouragement, arguing that a kind word can have a significant impact.
“Women should show up for other women,” she said.
She extended the message of solidarity beyond women to the entire nation, saying showing up for one another could strengthen families, communities and countries.
Maziya challenged emaSwati to imagine an Eswatini where people worked collectively to build the nation, protected public resources, supported one another and translated their faith and values into action.
“What if we were a country of firsts and showed the world what it means to be one people, loving each other, working for each other, and showing our children what it is like to be a community?” she asked.
She argued that Eswatini needed more action and less talk, saying people should demonstrate their values through their conduct.
“People say a lot of things, but are you really doing it?” she asked.
The Minister said this principle extended to Christianity and other values taught in society: people should not simply hear the Word but live it through their actions.
Her message to women at the InnovateHER Indaba was ultimately a call for personal responsibility, courage, continuous learning, innovation, kindness and purposeful living.
She urged women to look beyond their current circumstances and deliberately prepare for the future — particularly as technology reshapes careers and creates new opportunities.
For Maziya, investing in oneself is therefore not selfishness. It is preparation to contribute more effectively to families, communities and the country.
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