Machel to women entrepreneurs: Do not grow alone

PIC: Graca Machel, widow of fallen South African hero, Nelson Mandela speaking to women entrepreneurs brought together by her organisation, The Graca Machel Trust at Protea Hotel Kampala on August 11, 2016. Photos/Ronnie Kijjambu        

Graca Machel, widow of fallen South African hero, Nelson Mandela, has urged women to desist from lone business ventures.  

Speaking recently at Protea Hotel in Kampala, to the over 50 women in business, brought together by her organisation, The Graca Machel Trust, the 'no nonsense' Machel emphasised togetherness.
 

Justice Julia Ssebutinde speaks to women entrepreneurs brought together by her organisation, The Graca Machel Trust at Protea Hotel Kampala

 
But first, Machel, a celebrated women's rights activist made one thing clear. "We are not bringing millions, oh no!" she exclaimed. "What we are bringing however, is the news that women have to be organized, in networks."

To the women entrepreneurs present, she asked if they had networks, and if yes what the numbers were. "How many members does your network have, how many members are each bringing five, ten, fifteen, twenty women?" she probed.
 

American born judge, Tiffany Williams speaks to women entrepreneurs

Machel, was not done; "If you look at the population of Uganda, 52% are women. Of the 52%, how many are in your position?" She said that successful women ought to know that with that comes responsibility. "You are successful because the generation of your mothers sacrificed,"   "Our lives will only have a meaning if each one of us can confidently say that I was able to bring five, ten, fifteen and 20 women along with me. "What I am saying is, do not climb alone!"
 
When she spoke, Ugandan born Judge, Julia Ssebutinde, a judge with the International Court of Justice re-echoed the articulate Machel.

She confessed that listening to Machel talking got her thinking about those whose shoulders she had stood upon. "Many of us stand on shoulders of giants," she started with passion. "My mother is the giant whose shoulders I stood upon!"
 
Like Sebutinde, American born judge, Tiffany Williams, the youngest Administrative Law Judge in the State of New Jersey added voice to Machel's imploration. She said that indeed looking at women with purpose like Machel for inspiration is what women needed. "It is time for women to be birthed by you," she told Machel. "So women like us can go out and birth others."
 
Enthused, Patrick Bitature, the chairman of the Private Sector Foundation, also present committed to not just free training for women in business by his counterparts, but seeing that they too took the key roles in the private sector.  "Yes, we are looking to have more women in the board rooms," he started. "In fact, I have offered this venue free of charge for the women in business, if they book in advance."
 
Speaking as a matter of fact, Korko Cudjo, the Women's rights program manager of the trust, re-echoed how much could be achieved in the end.  She told of basking economies like China, wherein women represented twice the growth market. "Most of our women play a role, but it is in the informal sector and that does not manifest in the end, " Like Machel, she believes  in numbers, women have the power to ask, be recognized, bargain and penetrate the continent's market.
 
Note that The Graca Machel trust is operational in over 25 African countries and has been in Uganda for four years. The Ugandan country director, Theopista Ntale, is optimistic that through the project, New Faces New Voice, financial doors will be opened.