On May 7th the Regenesys Business School campus in Sandton was abuzz with activity as over a hundred South African women entrepreneurs walked around in graduation gowns taking pictures and congratulating each other. These were the graduates of the Graça Machel Trust's Women Creating Wealth programme, which offers a unique combination of personal mastery and technical business skills, including investor readiness, and how to access markets. Started in 2016, it has become the Trust's flagship entrepreneurship programme, currently reaching over 2 500 women in South Africa, Zambia, Kenya Malawi, Senegal Tanzania, and Uganda.
"It is often said that women are under-estimated, undervalued, underappreciated, and underrepresented. Working with women entrepreneurs, I know we women underestimate ourselves and undervalue ourselves. That's why we designed a programme that starts by teaching you to know who you are. Start with knowing that you can dream. Start knowing you can build a vision and then set a goal. So, personal mastery and leadership are a core part of the programme because entrepreneurship is about resilience. It's about personal mastery" said Korkor Cudjoe the Trust's Senior Entrepreneurship Manager.
Korkor Cudjoe, Shiphra Chisha and one of the graduates as they receive their certificate and the book of inspirational quotes from the Founder of Regenesys, Dr Marko Saravanja, that the business school generously offered to the entrepreneurs.
This combination of personal mastery and technical business skills has had a profound impact on the graduates, who are from different business sectors and from all over South Africa. Some of them shared their experience with the audience, which included the Trust's Founder Mrs Graça Machel, donor and strategic partners as well as the graduate's partners.
Lucille Bossman who calls herself a 'corporate dropout', owns a furniture manufacturing business, said Women Creating Wealth really helped her transition from a corporate mindset to an entrepreneur mindset. "The programme has taught me reliance and adaptability. As women we already play several roles in life and the being an entrepreneur is challenge on its own. So, for me learning when and how to pivot and adapt has been great. I also don't think I would be here if I did not have the sense of community and support from the other entrepreneurs who are part of the programme."
"The first pitch I did was a disaster! But working with the coaches and learning how to position my business case as well as what to focus on when speaking to investors, has been a life saver" said Relebohile Nko, a former financial accountant and now farmer and agro-processing business owner who produces chickens that are antibiotic free. Because of the skills she learned in the programme, Relebohile has been able to access funding and was recently selected to part of to be part of the #SheTrades Mauritius Hub (hosted by EDB Mauritius) to explore potential trading opportunities between South African and Mauritian entrepreneurs.
"I remember us working on the pitching skills and I'm so proud that Relebohile stuck it out and won R300 000 in the Youth in Business competition using the skills and templates from the programme. This is a wonderful moment to see the totality of our work as business coaches and mentors" said Marshall Makombe, one the programme's technical business coaches.
Tryphosa Singo who owns a construction company, spoke to how the programme helped her learn to set business goals and to implement strategically. "The programme also helped me realise I am not an island in South Africa; because of Women Creating Wealth I'm now doing business in Kenya, Nigeria and Dubai. The programme is pan African and teaches you to think beyond your own borders" she said. Tryphosa also shared that now that she believes in herself more, she has even started her own perfume line with her 14-year-old daughter - helping create another future woman who will create wealth.
Speaking to the genesis of the programme and how it fits into the Graça Machel Trust's work, Shiphra Chisha, the Director of Programmes at the Trust said: "Today is a significant moment in history as we celebrate the realisation of a visionary idea conceived by our Founder. This idea stemmed from a grave concern about the neglect of women's economic rights and their marginalized position in the economy. She recognised that women were not able to access and benefit from assets and resources, which perpetuated their status as the face of poverty in Africa. So, it is with great pride that we celebrate this historic milestone, knowing that our work will make a tangible difference in the lives of countless women. We remain committed to advancing women's economic rights to create wealth, for the betterment of the continent."
"We are so grateful to our donor partners; the African Development Bank Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA), Industrial Development Corporation and Visa Foundation who have helped us make this programme possible. Last year we set an audacious goal for ourselves: to support 10,000 women entrepreneurs on the continent to collectively generate $1 billion revenue and create 200,000 jobs within the next five years. We have a very clear objective and willing to do the work to make it happen. That's why we want to say to our current and future partners, as the Trust, we also ensure that we raise additional funds to whatever contribution you make, so we are we practice what we preach" said Korkor Cudjoe.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Regenesys Business School was the hosting partner for the event and former entrepreneur and still an entrepreneur at heart, Dr Marko Saravanja - Regenesys CEO, Founder and Chairman challenged the entrepreneurs "Persevere, think big, and take risks. The greater risk you can take is not to take a risk at all. Life is short; live it fully. Be brave, be a fighting spirit. I've learned on my entrepreneurial journey that you must fight for your dream. Dream big and don't give up. What I've learned in my life is that you fail only when you give up."
As the keynote speaker Mrs. Graça Machel gave the entrepreneurs a very clear mission: "Build networks, use the tools you now have to grow your businesses big. In a network always use the power of working together. Be the voice, be the face that represents African women. Together you will say, 'we are here', and you will be there with the knowledge, technology, the power of your conviction, and you will be shoulder to shoulder with any other people in the world. Don't allow any more people to look on down on African women. This is your mission; to be shoulder to shoulder with anyone else... I want to see you in millions on this continent, shining and leading and really forcing everyone else, to respect African women.
