By Anna Shilongo
WINDHOEK
The 8th Annual Northern Businesswomen Conference yesterday received N$170 000 from a group of companies towards the realization of the upcoming conference and other projects of the organisation.
The Economist Businesswomen Club, with its more than 120 members, constitutes the biggest single concentration of career women in the country, offering a great wealth of business experience.
More than 100 businesswomen are expected to attend the 8th Northern Economist Businesswomen Conference in Ongwediva on August 9.
The conference aims to create an opportunity for women to share their expertise and skills, make new contacts, support one another and create worthwhile business relations.
Sara Elago is the owner of SE Enterprises. She started the Northern Economist Businesswomen Conference as a project for the businesswoman of the year award in 1999, organised by the Namibian Economist.
The conference is tailored for women who want to increase their professionalism, job satisfaction and add value to their organisations.
Last year, about 105 delegates attended the conference.
Speaking at the launch of the sponsorship in the capital yesterday, Sara Elago, the patron of the northern conference, said professionals from the full spectrum of business are expected to give more practical and hands-on instruction on, amongst others, business finance, legal matters, constitutional issues, partnership, procurement and agencies as well as management issues.
Companies will also be invited to showcase their products and their services, while specialists in various fields will present papers on more general topics like healthcare, business etiquette and the role of women in business.
Elago encouraged women to take part in the conference, adding that the conference was going to enrich them and at the same time add value to their own activities in their respective communities.
“By attending the conference, you are employing a major strategy of tapping into existing networks, the same pool of skills and experience as your sister in Windhoek, meet other key players and improve yourself and your business.”
The conference will also look at the often difficult position of rural women.
“We realised that for many of the women in rural areas, it is unrealistic to try and separate domestic responsibility from their need to earn an income or make a living and care for a family. That is why we have decided to address the full spectrum of the issues impacting on the daily lives of rural women.”