Economic Empowerment
Source: Swazi Observer
The women’s development bank will soon be established, following last month’s E50m pledge by NAFCOC.
The National African Federated Chamber of Commerce President Hellen Kentse Makgae made the pledge during the launch of the Swazi division of the women’s empowerment organisation.
This was announced by Swaziland Economic Empowerment Trust Fund (SWEET) Chairperson Sibongile Mdluli.
Mdluli revealed that SWEET, in partnership with other stakeholders, was currently in the process of creating awareness campaigns and mobilising women to support the initiative.
In Manzini and Shiselweni regions, women received lessons and advice on how they could actively participate in establishment of the development bank.
For Lubombo and Hhohho, there will be conferences next Wednesday and Thursday.
“The response from the women at the various communities has been overwhelming. The anticipation for the development bank to be established was such that some energetic women already want us to visit their various chiefdoms,” said Mdluli on national radio.
She said due to limited resources, they would not be able to visit all parts of the country and called on the Lutsango leaders to attend the regional meetings because they would be expected to educate the rest of the communities on the project.
The Women’s Development Bank would hopefully end women’s’ banking woes.
Proposal
This is according to the project’s proposal for funding by SWEET.
The proposal in possession of this newspaper quotes various studies to attest on efficiency of the initiative to establish the women’s bank.
“The main objective of this project is to establish a fund/bank to empower women and improve their welfare and access to finance.
“As stated during our discussion, Her Majesty the Queen Mother, who is patron for all social sector agenda issues in Swaziland and for this initiative, has tasked us as a steering committee to find ways and means to establish a bank that will cater for the needs of Swazi women at grass-root level,” reads the proposal.
In the document, SWEET further requests assistance in identifying organisations to finance the seed capital to establish the bank.