As we stand at the threshold of a new year, we reflect on the journey traveled, the milestones achieved, and the lives transformed. For Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organisation (WEDO) Zimbabwe, 2024 has been a year of remarkable growth, innovation, and empowerment.
This year, WEDO Zimbabwe trained about 500 women in various spheres of influence. We also invited men from various sectors to support and empower women, recognizing the crucial role they play in promoting women's economic empowerment.
We partnered with various organizations to empower women, including Tongaat Hulett, Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Masvingo Polytechnic Department of Commerce, Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), WestProp Holdings, and many others. We are particularly grateful to WestProp Holdings and its Founder/Director, Mr. Ken Sharp, for their invaluable support and commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs.
These partnerships have made it possible for us to equip women entrepreneurs with various tools and knowledge.
We engaged various experts who articulated and shared their expertise in empowering women entrepreneurs. Our gratitude goes to media houses that reported our articles, which impacted women and communities, including Midweek, The Mirror, ZBC, Great Zimbabwe Times, and others.
WEDO Worldwide launched an artificial intelligence program in partnership with MIT University and Stanford University. Over 500 Zimbabwean women have undertaken this program, and some have already graduated. This tool has empowered women with skills they are using in their businesses.
Masvingo Polytechnic trained women in financial literacy and record-keeping. The women who received this training have transformed their entrepreneurial skills, and some have registered their businesses and are now trading formally.
As we approach 2025, WEDO officially launched in Harare on November 29 at a summit. The Harare launch has seen many projects being launched to empower women.
We are excited about our strategic partnerships with the government of Zimbabwe, which has already been put in place through the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, and other relevant ministries.
We are also honored to have Advocate Vimbai Nyemba, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, on the WEDO Zimbabwe advisory board. Her expertise will strengthen the movement and enlighten women on legal issues and laws governing women and their businesses.
As we move ahead, our thrust is to collaborate with various organizations with a sole mandate of empowering women entrepreneurs and leaders.
We would like to pay tribute to the men who supported our movement and those who came on board to empower women.
_About Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organisation (WEDO):_
WEDO is a global initiative founded in 2014 by Wendy Diamond, with its inaugural event held at the United Nations in New York City. Celebrated in more than 144 nations worldwide, WEDO's mission is to empower women entrepreneurs worldwide, promoting socioeconomic development and celebrating women's entrepreneurial achievements.
As we continue on this journey, we invite you to join WEDO and be part of this movement to empower women entrepreneurs. Together, we can make a difference and create a brighter future for women entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe.
_A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors and partners_
We extend our deepest gratitude to the following organizations for their invaluable support:
Tongaat Hulett, Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Masvingo Polytechnic Department of Commerce, Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), WestProp Holdings, Limitless Global Solutions, Eben Hardware, AFC Bank, CABS, Old Mutual, Econet Holdings, Shekinah Media, Masvingo Downtown Lodge, Hitbay Sanitation Services, Ebenezer Properties, Urban Lifestyle Hotel and Conference Centre, Bondolfi Teachers College, City of Masvingo, and Family Support Trust.
Your contributions have made a significant impact on the lives of women entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe. We look forward to continuing our partnership with you and welcoming new organizations to join us in this noble cause. Thank you!
By Angeline Zimbwani Mikiri
Founder and Director, Shekinah Media
WEDO Country Ambassador (Zimbabwe)
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