BY PHESHEYA IAN KUNENE
MBABANE – With the help of Nedbank Eswatini, a women-empowerment organisation, known as Empower HER, hosted a women’s leadership roundtable for entrepreneurs who are ready to elevate their impact in the business sector.
The event, which took place at Bethel Court in Ezulwini, provided a unique platform for attendees to gain hands-on insights into starting, managing and scaling a business. The event was sponsored by Nedbank, who on the day, presented a product known as PocketPOS. PocketPOS is a portable card payment solution.
The EmpowerHER Roundtable is an inspiring initiative led by young businesswomen that seeks to empower young business women, through hosting similar events that are designed to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit and cultivate essential business skills.
Teyise Khumalo, speaking on behalf of the initiative, said as a group their main aim was to create networking spaces that can be beneficial to aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs.
“We seek to create platforms and spaces for small, medium, and emerging entrepreneurs where other women can share pivotal steps of the entrepreneurship journey, support, networking, and mentorship where possible for the empowerment of other women leaders. Given the state of the unemployment rate of the youth in the country, we believe cultivating a culture of entrepreneurship is necessary,” Khumalo shared.
Among the speakers who graced the event, according to Khumalo, was Black Mamba CEO Claudia Castellanos, who is celebrated for her sustainable business practices and significant community impact. Khumalo said Castellanos’ journey from a local startup to an internationally recognised brand exemplified the resilience and vision that EmpowerHER sought to instill in Eswatini’s next generation of entrepreneurs.
Also gracing the event, according to Khumalo, was Faith Madlala, a trailblasing woman who is the founder of an organisation known as Crown of a Natural, who also happens to be an award-winning entrepreneur and sales coach dedicated to helping brands thrive online. Other trailblasing women who graced the event include Sakhile Nsibandze, President of the Youth Chamber of Commerce, who is a champion of sustainable development and economic empowerment; and Dr. Mary Mercy M Basumbuko, a medical doctor and investor inspiring financial independence. The conversations during the event were moderated by Bertha Sithole, a social entrepreneur and business coach.
The event also received support from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade’s MSME department, with an official in attendance that provided guidance on MSME strategies, further enhancing the resources available to attendees.
According to the young entrepreneurs who attended the event, EmpowerHER is not just about learning but it is about reshaping Eswatini’s economy, one woman-led business at a time. Through tailored insights and one-on-one interactions, attendees had an opportunity to ask seasoned entrepreneurs about everything from securing funding to navigating market changes.