Women leaders celebrate Caster
CASTER Semenya said she felt loved after Women’s Investment Portfolio Holdings Limited (Wiphold) adopted her in 2009.
Wiphold, which is a black-empowered company owned only by women, celebrated Semenya’s Rio Olympic gold medal yesterday at their offices in Johannesburg.
Semenya told guests – who included prominent women such as Walter Sisulu University chancellor Sheila Sisulu, Nomboniso Gasa and former president Thabo Mbeki’s advisor Mojanku Gumbi – that when Wiphold contacted her then she knew nothing about the company but their support throughout her career has been outstanding.
“At the time they showered me with love and treated me like a human being when the world had emotionally hurt me.”
Semenya was referring to when her gender was first questioned.
Wiphold, which is owned by women including Gloria Serobe and Louisa Mojela, has been giving Semenya emotional and financial support.
Serobe said anything that Semenya needed, they took care of without demanding that she carry their name in public.
Serobe said she was happy that, unlike in 2009, Semenya is currently in control of her life.
“We supported her spiritually, psychologically and financially. She comes from a good home and she is close to her parents.
“In 2009, she was vulnerable to the outside world which attacked her. Her selfesteem is high now, the way she walks, she is in charge,” Serobe said.
Gumbi narrated how she approached Serobe and Mojela to look after Semenya in 2009.
She came to them and asked them to look after Semenya, and without asking questions, the two businesswomen told her to consider it done.
When Sisulu asked her what her sign off meant, which she makes after each race, Semenya said “strong and untouchable”.
Wiphold is an investment company that is dedicated to the empowerment of black women.