Businesswomen seek special funding

Woman in Business Association (WIBA) President, Tumi Mbaakanyi says government should allocate funds to support women in business.

Speaking at the Botswana 50 years of Economic and Business media briefing Mbaakanyi said women in business need special support as they face challenges of lack of funds even when they have good business ideas that can develop the economy.

“Women are the vulnerable people yet they play a meaningful role to economic development so the government should increase support on women in business. We need women’s funds just like the Youth Fund,” said Mbaakanyi.

She said they will continue to lobby relevant stakeholders such as the Public Procurement and Assets Disposal Board (PPADB) to set up policies that would instruct government on how women entrepreneurs could be encouraged.

“We also need to be given opportunities to participate in large franchises. As the country’s economy moves forward women should not be left behind,” she said.

She said PPADB policy currently has no instruments put in place to assist women entrepreneurs to empower them to compete successfully against male counterparts who remain domineering in the procurement industry.

This year WIBA will hold its second instalment of the Women in Business Excellence Awards on August 26, 2016. Women led businesses will compete under six categories, with the overall Business Woman of the Year walking away with a cash prize of P50, 000.