By Alvine Kapitako
WINDHOEK– Few humans tend to communicate effectively with one another on a daily basis, especially with the emergence of new technologies over the years. This is despite the fact that communication remains an important aspect of everyday life.
It is with this background that two women decided to invest in the lives of twelve young women by training them in an interpersonal communications course developed by Toastmasters International, a communications and leadership organisation. “The course helped the young women realise that there is more to communications than just using cellphones,” says Rethie Ahrens, the course trainer and President of the Tarentaal Toastmasters in Windhoek. The course ran over nine weeks with twelve young women between 16 and 25 years obtaining certificates of attendance on Saturday.
Part of what was covered in the curriculum included the art of active listening, setting the stage for effective communication and emotions. The women were required during the nine weeks to make prepared and unprepared presentations, speeches, debates and listen actively, she adds. Angela Katjimune sponsored the course while Ahrens availed her knowledge. Katjimune says the course was a first of its kind explaining that she wanted the young women to be better communicators in their daily lives. She too stressed the importance of communications. “We wanted to try and better the communications of these young women. We went about it the right way because Toastmasters is internationally recognised. We ordered the books from the United States of America (USA) and they (young women) can attach their certificate of attendance to their curriculum vitae,” says Katjimune adding that the young women did not write a test as part of their training course.
Ahrens and Katjimune maintain that the course had a positive impact on their participants because many were shy in the beginning but as time went on they opened up. Katjimune says the course would be offered on an annual basis in future. Marceline Harases who participated in the training course says she did not take the course seriously in the beginning. “As time went on I found it interesting,” she adds. She learnt that a person can prove a point by using body language without words adding that she could not easily present or speak in front of a crowd, and that the course empowered her to do so effectively.
“I am thankful for the women who started this initiative. I did not walk out of this workshop incomplete,” says participant Fousy Jaar.