Empowered women urged to make positive impact

After a rocky year for small business owners, young women entrepreneurs were urged to focus on the main goal at a women’s empowerment gathering on Saturday.

The event, hosted by former Generations actress and Bay entrepreneur Noluvuyo Sodela, saw budding entrepreneurs gather to share knowledge and lessons.

Sodela said the event’s purpose was to get empowered women to empower others whose visions had been blurred by circumstances such as the pandemic, the economy and mental health issues. 

“We also hope to unlock creative, driven entrepreneurs while having a positive impact on those who want to give up.

“Some people here have been pushing their businesses since the first [instalment] of this event and we see the progress of their businesses.” 

Sodela started the event three years ago as a platform for women to network and exchange ideas.

She said the inaugural event had been inspired by an incident she had witnessed on Facebook and found disturbing. 

“The decision to start this event three years ago came after a woman was gang-raped in one of the taverns in Gqeberha.

“What I found disgusting was that a video of the incident was shared on Facebook and some women were bashing and blaming the victim in the comments.

“I was very disturbed and that made me realise that we all have the potential to grow each other instead of making negative things trend on social media.

“We should all focus on promoting things that help each other grow,” she said. 

Sodela said she had been inspired to host the 2021 gathering to motivate women to recover from the impact of the pandemic. 

The event was attended by women entrepreneurs who shared their experiences.

Guest speakers included Miss Eastern Cape Sinesipho Makubalo, Legacy Queen Brand founder Lorraine Dilata-Zingelwa and Geshez services founder Sinazo Mbana.

Mbana, who started a baking business during the lockdown, encouraged other entrepreneurs to be disciplined when pursuing their business ideas, while Makubalo shared her journey of chasing her dreams despite losing both her parents at the age of seven.

HeraldLIVE