“An empowered woman empowers the world.”
This was the theme of the Student Women’s Day held at the Tshwane University of Technology Mbombela Campus last Thursday, August 22, hosted by the student governance and leadership development teams.
Many young people attended this event; they sat in for various presentations and had the opportunity to learn new things. Dr Nontobeko Portia Mahlalela, the Ehlanzeni District Municipality’s municipal manager, was the guest speaker, and during her address she encouraged the students to focus on their careers and reminded them of how much potential they have to achieve their goals.
In her presentation she touched on various issues. She urged the young people not to let their backgrounds define who they are or who they will be.
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“Where I come from is an example I can use to show you that your background does not define your destiny. If you grew up in rural areas, it does not mean this will then define your destiny. In my area we did not have electricity or running water.
We had to fetch water from a river. But that did not define who I am today. So you can write your own story and not have limits.”
Mahlalela said when they invest in women, they will be able to deal with economic challenges and social challenges. “Investing in women and girls is clearly the best way to achieve sustainable development goals.
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It is important for us as the state to invest in them so we can achieve those goals. When more women are economically empowered, the economy grows.”
Mahlalela said women know the principles of trade, seeing as they invest some money even when they get a small amount of it. She said when you empower one woman who understands the principles of trade, this results in the empowerment of many other women.
She said it is important to have women represented in leadership, especially in government.
