Tag Archives: INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Education, Malawi

Veep Ansah challenges girls to pursue dreams through education

Malawi News Agency (MANA)

By Pauline Kaude

LILONGWE-(MANA)-Vice President Jane Ansah has urged girls in Malawi to work hard in school and remain focused on their dreams in order to succeed and contribute to national development.

Ansah made the call Saturday in Lilongwe during a commemoration of International Women’s Day organised by reigning Miss Malawi Thandie Chisi which attracted girls from various secondary schools.

“Your dreams matter because they are seeds that can grow into something great if you remain focused and work hard,” said Ansah.

She said the commemoration of International Women’s Day is not only about celebration but also an opportunity to reflect on progress made in empowering women and girls while inspiring them to make a difference in society.

Ansah noted that Malawi needs educated and courageous women who can contribute to national development as leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs and professionals.

The Vice President said she was encouraged to see students from Lilongwe Girls Secondary School where she also pursued her secondary education, adding that determination and hard work helped shape her future aspirations.

She said government under President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika prioritises women empowerment, strengthening education and creating opportunities for young people.

Ansah also commended the Miss Malawi Pageant for organising the event, saying it demonstrates that the pageant goes beyond beauty and focuses on empowering young women.

In her remarks, Miss Malawi Thandie Chisi said the event was organised to inspire girls through interactions and panel discussions with young women excelling in different fields.

One of the panellists Dr Ndifanji Namacha Nyondo said early marriages and teenage pregnancies remain major challenges affecting girls and young women.

She said addressing such challenges requires collective support from government, the private sector and non-governmental organisations.

The Vice President donated K1 million to support the Miss Malawi Pageant.

International Women’s Day is commemorated globally on March 8 to celebrate achievements of women and promote gender equality.

Human Rights

Powering women to live their dream

Maravi Post Reporter

March 8 is International Women’s Day, which amplifies calls to invest in women and accelerate progress towards ending poverty and inequalities. We track how a local bank’s financing vehicle is greasing the wheels of women investors often rejected by financial institutions:

When Dr Thandie Mabedi decided to quit her job, she dreamed of owning a clinic where Malawians could access no-fee specialist services they obtain beyond the borders.

The medical doctor and her husband opened Uromed Clinic in Lilongwe in 2020 to fulfil her dream.

“My husband is also a doctor,” she says. “Together, we grew the dream of opening a clinic to offer general services and specialized services, but most banks we approached weren’t keen to support a start-up business and had tough conditions, including collateral.”

Mabedi was undeterred in search of capital for her dream project.

She is now the executive director of Uromed Clinic which offers more than just urology, a part of healthcare that deals with diseases of the male and female urinary tract such as kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. It also specializes in gynecology, which deals with the female reproductive system, including pregnancy-related procedures and complications.

“We also specialize in kidneys and our procedures don’t involve open surgery on prostates to avoid complications. We have laser treatment to treat kidney stones, which no other clinic treats in Malawi,” she narrates.

The clinic employs 44 workers, up from eight at the start.

Four years on, it is on course for expansion to a 30-bed facility following the acquisition of land just opposite the current five-bed clinic.

NBM Development Bank Limited, the development financing institution of the National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc, supported the Mabedi’s dream project.

She recounts: “We made a presentation about our dream and we were stunned to hear NBM Development Bank Limited committing to support the building and buying of equipment.”

They paid back the loan within three years and qualified for another one from the Financial Inclusion and Entrepreneurship Scaling [FInEs] project through the NBM Development Bank. The World Bank funds FInEs, a five-year initiative by the Government of Malawi through the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM).

“We are using the money to build a bigger hospital which will have radiology, X-ray and advanced laboratory,” says Mabedi.

A similar dream come true is Tapempha Medical Care Centre at Namitete Trading Centre along the Lilongwe-Mchinji Road.

Shareholder Tadala Kathumba, a human resources manager, says the FInEs project provided K375 million through NBM Development Bank Limited to construct the 100-bed clinic and procure medical equipment.

“The clinic employs 65 people and serves about 3 000 patients per month. We aim to see Malawians getting medical care here, not outside the country,” she says.

The two stories testify to the need to invest in women to achieve their dreams of changing the world around them.

In both cases, the women were first rejected by other financial institutions.

This year, the International Women’s Day theme, inspire inclusion, calls for a shift towards investing in women “Invest in women to accelerate progress. This highlights the importance of gender equality, women’s empowerment and their rights to healthier lives.

Ministry of Gender spokesperson Pauline Kaude commends NBM for its commitment to empowering women financially in line with the theme of inspiring inclusion.

She states: “One of the ministry’s mandates is ensuring that women are economically empowered. This development is a plus for us. If women are economically empowered, women will make meaningful contributions to the country’s economy.

“The ministry appreciates the good collaboration with FInEs. By complementing each other, we will capacitate women who lack the financial and technical muscle to do businesses like their male counterparts.”

NBM Development Bank Limited general manager Bernard Masi says the bank took a different approach to close the gaps that impede most Malawian entrepreneurs from accessing finance.

The main winners are small and medium enterprises, including women entrepreneurs.

When asked about the success stories of  Mabedi and Kathumba, Masi said: “We believed in their dreams and gave them a chance to realize those dreams.

“Today, we witness how the two women and many others have excelled in their businesses. As a development bank, we are here to change people’s lives and contribute to the development of this nation.”

NBM plc marketing and corporate affairs manager Akossa Hiwa is happy that with NBM support, the two enterprising women have achieved what they never expected to achieve within five years when access to capital was tricky.

“The bank places great efforts in ensuring women are empowered,” she says.

Business

NBM plc celebrates women strides

Maravi Post Reporter

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-National Bank of Malawi (NBM) Plc says it has made strides in empowering women to grow professionally and financially in the country.

One of the Bank’s Directors, Bernadette Malunga, said in an interview ahead of the International Women’s Day (IWD) commemoration, which falls on 8 March (today), that promoting women in leadership positions and building their capacity is one of the Bank’s priorities.

“If they want to improve their education, we provide training opportunities so that they can further their studies, which in the long run may push them to acquire leadership positions within the company.”

“The Bank has several initiatives to promote women’s leadership. We try to ensure  that each department has equal representation of both men and women. Further to this, females who are seen to be lagging behind are allowed to further their education ,” said Malunga.

This year’s IWD is being celebrated under the theme ‘Inspire Inclusion’ and is meant to emphasize the importance of diversity and empowerment in all aspects of society.

Malunga further said through a social media campaign termed ‘Inspiring Inclusion’, NBM plc seeks to celebrate strides made by female employees at different levels, female members of its Board of Directors and female customers.

“The Bank hopes that this will serve to encourage other women to keep striving for greatness in all their endeavors,” said Malunga.

One of NBM Plc’s employees Hlupikire Phalira, an accounts officer, also shared the progress made on her career path since she joined the Bank.  

“At National Bank Plc, we have policies that promote equal opportunities for both men and women. When I joined the Bank, I only had a Diploma in Accounting but because of the Bank’s policies I got a degree from the University of Malawi, furthermore, I am studying to become a chartered accountant with the ACCA,” said Phalira.

Apart from empowering female employees, NBM Plc also has female customers at heart as they offer tailor-made services to support women entrepreneurs.

Owner of Mikos and Milkshake Dessert Parlor, Chisomo Munthali said she managed to access a loan that helped boost her business.

“I can confidently say that National Bank of Malawi Plc has been a very positive support in my journey and my dreams. Back in 2021, I needed financing and I approached my Bank with all hopes that they would find something to help me, and truly I was included in the ‘Amai Angathe’ program. I managed to access financing to help boost my business,” she said.

Business

NBS Bank blows own trumpet on women empowerment

Maravi Post Reporter

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Listed commercial institution NBS Bank has blown its own trumpet on women empowerment saying it has made remarkable progress in promoting women into leadership positions.

People across the globe commemorated the International Women’s Day on March 8, 2023  under the theme “Embrace Equity”.

Reflecting on the day, NBS Bank Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Kwanele Ngwenya said in an interview that the Bank recognizes the role women play in the development of the country and therefore it is imperative that they be given an equal chance in leadership positions.

Ngwenya’s remarks compliment the recognition by the Employers Consultative Association of Malawi (ECAMA) annual awards in December 2022 where NBS Bank emerged top in the gender equity category.

“We used to have 30% women and 70% men in terms of employees; and in leadership, only one out of 13 were women in leadership positions. In 2017, a new strategy was developed which among other things, focused on women empowerment through the total number of employees and those in leadership positions.”

“Fast forward to 2023, there are 48% of females and 52% of males that make up the employee headcount at NBS Bank and in the executive and senior management, eight are women and ten are men, translating to 44% and 53% respectively.”

“Additionally, these appointments are based on merit and one can appreciate the extensive experience and expertise in their respective fields.  This goes to prove how seriously NBS Bank takes issues of gender equity,” said Ngwenya.

Ngwenya also said NBS Bank also acknowledges the importance of developing the upcoming generations through various initiatives it has undertaken namely the scholarship and mentorship programme with secondary school girls, championed by Shaping Our Future Foundation.

“Through this initiative, young girls are paired with female managers as their mentors to ensure they are equipped with the necessary tools to realize their full potential. The Bank is therefore saying let us all embrace equity today for a balanced tomorrow,” explained Ngwenya.