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NewsDay

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‘Media must promote women’

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Women who have succeeded in business should be brave enough to share their achievements in order to inspire others and not shy away from publicity, top business women said on Tuesday. Speaking at the Ladies’ Night discussion at the Quill Club for journalists in Harare, the businesswomen urged the media to report their success stories […]

Women who have succeeded in business should be brave enough to share their achievements in order to inspire others and not shy away from publicity, top business women said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Ladies’ Night discussion at the Quill Club for journalists in Harare, the businesswomen urged the media to report their success stories in the same manner as those of men.

Munn Marketing managing director and NewsDay columnist Thembe Sachikonye said: “The thing which frustrates me most about women in business in Zimbabwe is the apparent lack of role models for young women to emulate.

“I say apparent lack because this is a false shortage, created by the fact that women — even those who are top performers in business — shy away from the spotlight and deliberately choose to play down their achievements,” she said.

“What is very clear to me is how this disadvantages not just the present generation, but the ones that follow.”

Award-winning businesswoman and Securico boss Divine Ndhlukula said despite her achievements locally and internationally, the local media decided not to market her and recognise her achievements. “I won an international award and was celebrated all over the world by different television stations and publications, but none from Zimbabwe appreciated that,” Ndhlukula said.

“There were reports all over including on Press TV, Reuters and others but not locally.

“I ended up paying for supplements in local papers, but where others saw an inspirational story, the media here saw nothing,” she said.

“The media must promote women in business. All we see in the media are headlines about businessman like (Philip) Chiyangwa.”

Ndhlukula, is the founder and managing director of Securico, one of Zimbabwe’s leading security companies.

Zimbabwe Tourism Board chairperson Marah Hativagone said she was working towards inspiring young female entrepreneurs in different categories including education where she is deputy chairperson of the Board of Trustees for Women University in Africa.