Windhoek
Namibian women hold the key to economic growth, said U.S. Ambassador Thomas Daughton to participants at a communications and negotiations workshop that ended yesterday.
Daughton made the remarks at the closure of the three-day workshop for members of the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) that was held in Windhoek.
The ambassador also presented training certificates to the 22 business owners from sectors including retail, ICT, tourism, management consulting, manufacturing, law, accounting, and marketing. They were trained on presentation, negotiation, public speaking and many other aspects central to effective communication.
The workshop was developed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Southern African Trade Hub program in collaboration with the renowned persuasive communications expert from Brown University, Dr Barbara Tannenbaum, whose global clients include Microsoft, Google and high profile American politicians.
The training incorporated results from regional gender analysis and has been tailored to address the specific needs, constraints, concerns and opportunities experienced by women business owners and entrepreneurs in Southern Africa.
The workshop included innovative modules on impact and delivery styles, goal and audience targeting, persuasion, credibility and trust, as well as discussions on how culture and gender influence communication.
In his closing remarks, Daughton congratulated the participants and AWEP for recognizing “the pivotal role women can play in transforming society by owning, running and operating small and medium businesses, and by becoming voices for social change and economic empowerment in Namibia.”
Similar persuasive communications and assertiveness workshops were successfully delivered recently to members of the Botswana Women in Business Association (WIBA) and members of Zambia’s African Women Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP).
USAID is leading the U.S. government’s efforts to end extreme poverty and promote resilient, democratic societies around the world. The American people, through USAID, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for over 50 years and for over 25 years in the Republic of Namibia.