Summary:
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As part of the flagship project for 2019, UN Women worked with the Amathole District Municipality and other partners including the Netherlands-based Advocacy Unified Network in the Eastern Cape Province to create and implement practical incubation and capacity-building programs in the procurement ecosystem.
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With help from UN Women, Amathole District Municipality increased its spending on women-owned businesses and cooperatives from 4% to 38% over the course of nine months in 2020.
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The goal of this project is to train 1250 entrepreneurs by the end of 2022.
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Through this training program, I learned how to manage the firm’s sustainability, growth, finances, and marketing.
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Never be afraid to share your interests, talents, ideas, and expressions with other young women who want to work in the media and film industries.
The Flagship Programme, Stimulating Equal Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs and women governed cooperatives, is being run by the UN Women South Africa Multi-Country Office with help from NAMA Women Enterprise. Its goal is to remove the structural barriers that women entrepreneurs face. Because of these problems, women-owned businesses can’t usually take advantage of government spending and sourcing from around the world. The flagship program tries to solve some of the biggest problems that buyers and business owners face. It also tries to make it easier for women to get into the procurement market.
As part of the flagship project for 2019, UN Women worked with the Amathole District Municipality and other partners including the Netherlands-based research organization Advocacy Unified Network in the Eastern Cape Province to create and run practical incubation and capacity-building programs in the procurement ecosystem. To get more women-owned businesses and cooperatives involved in procurement, it was important to set up support systems to ensure a good environment. Women-owned businesses and cooperatives can find local and national opportunities through workshops, trade shows, networking events, and mentoring programs, among other things.
With help from UN Women, Amathole District Municipality increased its spending on women-owned businesses and cooperatives from 4% to 38% over the course of nine months in 2020. In 2022, the expenditure is set at 45%. This considerable accomplishment happened because the local government made it easier for women-owned businesses to get government contracts. In response to COVID-19, UN Women worked with the Amathole District Municipality and the non-profit group E-Watchdog to help female entrepreneurs and cooperatives build their ability to make personal protective equipment (PPE).
UN Women has kept working with Amathole District Municipality and Ewatchdog by teaching local economic development officials and women’s groups about the Start and Improve Your Business project. This project was started by the International Labor Organization. The goal of this project is to train 1250 entrepreneurs by the end of 2022. So far, ten trainers have been trained well enough to teach other local business owners. To date, it has reached 347 business owners. In a partnership with the Tshwane University of Technology, UN Women is also teaching 35 women contractors how to be entrepreneurs and use Innovative Building Technology (IBT) products.
During a recent trip to the Amathole District Municipality, we spoke with a few of the program participants. Here’s what they told us:
Entrepreneurs in the building sector Phumeza Kate: “UN Women and Amathole have helped me get into the field of new building technology.” With nine other women, we established a cooperative, and we are currently registered. We are now in the Eastern Cape, but our cooperative is looking to penetrate markets outside. We will begin here at home, but we will expand. I thought I knew the building before I started this class. Because of this program, people’s thoughts and actions are changing in many areas, such as marketing and the law. I can only advise other women to be ready and eager to learn. We must seize these chances since they help us improve and accomplish things correctly.
Sivu Giba, a producer and business owner in the media and entertainment industries, said: “Even though my company has been around for eight years, I discovered that it has a lot of flaws.” Through this training program, I learned how to manage the firm’s sustainability, growth, finances, and marketing. From what I saw, I learned a lot about how to market a company in a global market. The multimedia and movie industries are heavily skewed toward men. I went out of my way to show that anyone can do any project. Never be afraid to share your interests, talents, ideas, and expressions with other young women who want to work in the media and film industries. Seize every chance you can to get up and go after it. Be self-assured, brave, and action-oriented.
