This Womenâs Month, UWCâs Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) has embarked on a programme to boost womenâs confidence in technology to grow their business during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
A 2020 UN Women policy brief painted a bleak picture for women-owned enterprises in the pandemic – they are overrepresented in the hardest-hit sectors such as retail and are often more reliant on self-financing and therefore face a greater risk of closure.
Dr Fazlyn Petersen, senior lecturer at the Department of Information Systems in the EMS Faculty and programme manager, said these statistics are one of the reasons the programme was initiated.
According to Professor Shaun Pather, Chair of the Department of Information Systems, research conducted at UWC has also found that many small businesses know they should adjust their business for a digital post-pandemic era. However, many women may lack the skills or could be intimidated by new technology. The department partnered with Women in Tech, the UWC Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI), the Startup Hatchery, and Cybersmart to help women entrepreneurs take their businesses online.
Prof Pather explained: âIn essence, digitisation has made the gender disparity worse. So our Womenâs Month programme is ready to help reduce this digital divide in so far as the gender disparity is concerned. We hope that it would boost confidence and motivate women to use technology meaningfully to improve their businessâ.
Twenty-five entrepreneurial women from UWCâs student body and community have been selected to participate in the programme. These women already have successful businesses and now have the opportunity to take their business online. Free online sessions will take place from 9 to 13 August to help those struggling to adapt their business to an online model, said Dr Petersen. In addition, participants will have access to mentors to guide them throughout their learning journey.
âWe want to see our students and communities thrive in a growing society, and as the Department of Information Systems, we have a specific focus on growing entrepreneurs and an entrepreneurial spirit,â said Dr Petersen.
Prof Pather said the programme would help to improve business operational efficiency by integrating appropriate applications into day-to-day operations. âWe want to see women in particular progress because we recognise that transformation or the advancement of women is part of our transformation efforts in this country. It speaks to our equity goals, and we know that micro-enterprises are the bedrock of economic transformation as well.â
The programme will run for a week and feature keynote speakers such as social media expert Lauren Dallas, founder and owner of The Change Hub, Dr Jeanne Fredericks, and SA director of Women in Tech, Ms Melissa Slaymaker. Other speakers include Celeste Samuels, owner of Celeste Monique Clothing and Lifestyle, and Nasmera Buckus from the Startup Hatchery.
Author: Harriet Box
Image: Pexel
