Byo hosts women empowerment expo

IT will be an all-women affair at the Large City Hall in Bulawayo today and tomorrow when the Organisation of Women International Trade (OWIT) hosts a twoday empowerment expo for female business start-ups.

The expo is being held in Bulawayo for the first time.

Women Affairs minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, is the guest of honour.

OWIT president Buhlebenkosi Ostlea Nyathi said the expo sought to mentor women on running start-up businesses.

“We want to empower them with education, facilitate information exchange, promote networking and mentor women into world-class strong economic pillars,” she said.

“This is our second edition of the open market and exhibition day.

“The first one was in Harare. This is a trade and growth [exhibition] fostering interaction between businesses, financiers, stakeholders, buyers, suppliers, policymakers and OWIT.”

Nyathi said they were targeting all female start-ups in the city.

“We are looking at small-scale and medium-scale enterprises to give them an incubation hub where they can grow their talents and businesses until they are ready to be linked with foreign markets,” she said.

The expo will also see other stakeholders providing their expertise to the start-ups.

According to Nyathi, the expo will create a network platform aimed at fostering the right partnerships with key stakeholders in business.

“As part of the exhibition women will be showcasing their wares and creating awareness on their interventions in the community,” she said.

“We also want to create awareness on the government programmes, the advantages of collaboration and registration of businesses to be formalised so as to help the government plan better.”