Harare is set to host the Women’s Lift Me Up Conference this week, bringing together business leaders, innovators and development practitioners for a high-level dialogue on women’s empowerment, resilience and leadership.
The March 12 event, organised by Alpha Media Holdings’ HStv, will be held at The Venue in Harare under the theme, Give to Gain — Empowering the Future-Proof Woman.
The conference will focus on equipping women with practical strategies to build resilient businesses, adapt to emerging technologies and strengthen leadership capacity as economies rapidly evolve. It will also provide a platform for networking, mentorship and cross-sector collaboration.
HStv head Olga Muteiwa said preparations for the conference were complete and organisers were confident the event would deliver meaningful dialogue and actionable insights for women across industries.
The conference will feature a diverse line-up of speakers drawn from business, technology, finance, development and the creative industries.
Among the confirmed speakers is Barbra Tulu Clemens, country director and representative of the World Food Programme in Zimbabwe, who will present a talk titled Scaling Production From Home Initiatives to Income-Generating Projects.
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Her presentation will explore pathways for transforming small-scale initiatives into sustainable livelihoods.
Technology entrepreneur and AI innovation leader Esther Mandina will address The AI Skills Gap: Ensuring Women Lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Mandina said women’s limited participation in artificial intelligence was largely driven by three challenges: awareness, pathways and representation.
“When we talk about the AI skills gap for women globally, particularly in emerging economies, the challenge comes down to three key gaps. The first is the awareness gap. Many people still believe AI is only for programmers or engineers. Yet the AI economy requires far more than coding,” she said.
Mandina added that clearer learning pathways and stronger collaboration between academia and industry were essential in helping women to move from curiosity to meaningful careers in technology.
She also highlighted the need to increase women’s presence in spaces where technologies are designed, funded and governed.
“Closing the AI skills gap will require more than education; it requires opening doors, building supportive ecosystems and ensuring diverse voices help to shape the technologies driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” she said.
Business leader Ashleigh Nyambirai of TN Livestock Trust will speak on Business Resilience and Creating Pathways for the Next Generation.
Nyambirai said climate variability remained one of the major challenges in Zimbabwe’s livestock sector, particularly recurring droughts that affect grazing, water availability and herd health.
“For cattle to be successfully converted to a bankable asset class, cost mitigation is paramount,” she said, noting that feed is one of the largest expenses in livestock farming.
She said her organisation had responded by implementing efficient feed mobilisation strategies, feed planning systems and improved herd management practices aimed at maintaining productivity during dry seasons.
Additional speakers include Gloria Ndoro-Mkombachoto (NetOne), Ethel Mupambwa (MoneyMart Finance Group), Janet Manyowa, Patience Munetsi-Patongamwoyo, Odellia Matangi-Mangwengwende (African Transmission Corporation), Karen Nyenga (Fine & Country Zimbabwe), Dorien Beurskens (Young Africa International) and Moreangels Mabhiza.
They will address topics ranging from digital transformation and property investment to energy, entrepreneurship, mentorship and environmental sustainability.
March, recognised globally as Women’s Month, provides an opportunity to celebrate the social, economic and political contributions of women while highlighting persistent gender gaps in leadership, access to resources and economic participation.
The Lift Me Up Conference aligns with the global push to accelerate gender equality and women’s empowerment. Its theme reflects growing international development priorities that encourage investment in women as drivers of inclusive economic growth.
By focusing on resilience, innovation and mentorship, organisers say the forum seeks to contribute to broader gender-responsive development efforts.
Women from across industries are encouraged to attend and participate in what organisers describe as a collaborative platform to share ideas, forge partnerships and celebrate the role of women shaping tomorrow’s economy.