Umodzi Consulting junior Consultant Kennedy Phiri says women entrepreneurs have the capacity to grow their businesses because they are hard-working and are not afraid of taking risks
Umodzi Consulting is a development project funded by the Scottish Government through Challenes Worldwide (CWW).
Umodzi Consulting partners with its clients to deliver customised business consultancy services and during the seminar organizsd for women entrepreneurs in Lilongwe on Friday, Phiri said, women entrepreneurs can grow their businesses if given proper support.
“We conducted a research and the findings showed that if given the right training and support most women entrepreneurs can grow their small businesses into companies employing many people. We targeted the businesswomen who are into small-scale businesses but they want to grow them because even some big companies that are there today started small,” said Phiri.
He said they deliberately invited Lilongwe based consultant Dawa Loga Lemberger to share her experiences with her fellow women because she is an established entrepreneur.
“Sometimes it is good to let women teach each other because that is when they can bring out issues or any challenges freely,” said Phiri.
One of the women, Tamara Banda, who makes crafts and other items like bags,shoes,jewellery, says she accepted to attend the workshop because she wants to gain more knowledge that can help her business grow.
Banda, who won the annual exhibitor award in 2013, said she started her business without knowing how to grow it but with proper guidance and mentoring by institutions like Umodzi Consulting, she has managed to build a house.
“Umodzi Consulting has done a lot in my life and I am able to attend exhibitions without any problem. In 2013 I won the annual exhibitor award during a fair in Lilongwe because I am very well trained,” said Banda.
According to Umodzi officials similar symposiums will take place in Blantyre and Mzuzu in due course.
