On 23rd March 2022, ZAM hosted a training for women in the manufacturing industry as a means to equip women in industry with tools necessary for their businesses. The objectives of the Training workshop were the following: ensure regulatory compliance in women led manufacturing businesses; provide financial literacy tools, leadership skills and digital inclusion knowledge for their businesses; and entrepreneurial and other foundational skills.
Ms Florence Muleya welcomed the participants that had turned up in numbers encouraging them to embrace three learning points for going forward. Ms Bridget Kambobe stressed that women were strong forces to reckon with and fora’s such as the training were to be utilized to make them even stronger.
The event was graced by the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Development who was represented by the Permanent Secretary Ms. Yvonne Mpundu. Ms Mpundu was elated that ZAM had organised the training session to improve women entrepreneurs and looked forward to further collaboration with the Ministry. She was also happy about the attendance of 100 women entrepreneurs an encouraging number that she could work with. She asked the women to share some challenges which were highlighted as access to finance, limited markets and lack of knowledge. She was elated that the for a was in part addressing the challenges.
The first facilitation session exposed the women to what was required of a business at registration. Ms. Taonga Njolomba and Ms. Ndonano Siuluta from PACRA, presented on business registration processes and patent registration respectively. The aspect of quality standards and management systems for businesses was dealt with by Ms. Belinda Kancheya from ZABS while the benefits of being tax compliant was discussed by Ms. Brigitte Munyenga from ZRA.
Session two saw Ms. Perpetual Mulikita from Zanaco and a representative from the Credit Guarantee Scheme both give presentations on key financial principles to set apart businesses. In the Third session, Janet Phiri from Inq. Digital Zambia presented on 21st Century manufacturing -digital inclusion for efficient businesses. The last presenter of the day was Mrs. Sylvia Mwansa from SBM Investment Ltd who taught the audience on the wheel of life. The wheel of life helped businesswomen find a balance among their career and work goals, with other aspects of life such as family and friends, spirituality and customs and traditions.
The event encouraged women to embrace the learnings in their businesses and Ms Fronscen Haloba thanked the women for attending the event and encourage them to dream big.
