MT Events recently hosted its second successful Harmonious Queens event in Oshakati, to bring change through powerful dialogues and network with women of influence. 

At the event, Minister of Trade and Industrialisation, and patron of the event, Lucia Iipumbu started by analysing the growth of women over the years. 

“Women used to belong in the kitchen, but our women are everywhere and taking ownership in all spaces,” she said. 

She further mentioned that it took several women to start and pave the way and now it is becoming easier for others to follow. “All of us started somewhere and I am because of you, as ubuntu beautifully phrases it,” she said. 

The first female minister of trade, after 25 years of independence, she attests it is still a male dominated ministry. “We are only six female ministers of the ministries of trade and industrialization amongst the 54 African countries. We still need to prove ourselves three times more than our male counterparts,” she attested. 

Teamwork, collaboration and women empowerment are so critical to allow skills to complement each other and allow more companies to succeed at opening and staying in business. 

“Why can’t we collaborate more as women and use each other’s skills to ensure that businesses are established on a much larger scale? We can not only sell five dresses, we need to be able to think big, scale up and manufacture in bulk to even start exporting to the rest of the world,” she encouraged. 

Founder Tukwatha Shaanika, aims to gather powerful women to plant a seed through engaging dialogues to spread motivation to those women who are on their way to greatness. 

The director of ceremonies Ilke Platt, founder of Poiyah Media, applauded the platform, saying such vehicles must be embraced and executed. 

“It’s wonderful for women to dress up, leave their homes for a while and feel inspired but it will all go to waste if they do not apply the tools given to them, to spark change,” she added. 

Inspector Beverly Nawases, unit commander of Oshana Police Women Network shared her journey highlighting her academics which includes being a teacher by profession. 

“I ensured to study as much as I can and expand my versatility. I have seen much and my current job requires strength and bravery. I have surrendered my life to better serve my community,” as she recollects her placement in South Sudan years ago.