Women in trade

Last month, 116 women entrepreneurs graduated the 8-week Export Trade Training Programme. TFSA Zoom’ed in to celebrate with their fantastic mentors and the partners behind the scenes. Who knew how full of passion and palpable excitement a virtual room can be!

We were delighted to attend our very first regional graduation ceremony for the Export Trade Training Programme in partnership with Future Females. On the 29^th April, 116 women entrepreneurs from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa graduated the 8-week training and Zoom’ed in to celebrate with their fantastic mentors and the partners behind the scenes. Who knew how full of passion and palpable excitement a virtual room can be!

“Without our partners, none of this would be possible. They’re the ones pushing this across Southern Africa. Big thanks to the TFSA team, they are absolutely incredible, and they offer so much more material. Most importantly to the UK government, this would not be possible without their support. They fund so many programmes across Africa, really pushing entrepreneurship, looking at how to develop countries and economies. Thank you for believing in us and seeing so much opportunity in Southern Africa! There is so much untapped potential in these countries.” Sasha Zakharova, New Markets Programme Director, Future Females Empowerment Initiatives

We could fill a whole newsletter with what the women themselves had to say about the things they have learnt, how it has already impacted their businesses and what their plans of action are for taking their products beyond borders, but here’s what one boss woman from Botswana said on the day:

“This training has really amplified the dream and the idea that I had of working this business. It has been a great opportunity to be able to network with so many other amazing women. To be seen, to feel appreciated. Being a businesswoman, and thinking about exporting alone, is a daunting task. There is so much you need to learn. What this opportunity, this training, has done, is to really hone and create this pathway, that now I’m certain and confident. It’s like knowing you have a big sister or big brother at the playground, and the playground has been levelled out, you have so much confidence and you believe in yourself. Thank you!”

Thato Gabaitse, Lemon & Vinegar, Botswana

We can’t wait to see where the amazing women take their businesses. Keep checking our dedicated Women in Trade page where we will keep sharing some of their successes.

The course was rolled out in the six countries through a team of mentors from our hugely dedicated women focussed partners:

These mentors – all women with a wide range of experience from the world of trade – support the training participants in their countries to complete the self-paced modules, and hold weekly online group sessions to re-cap on content and guide the budding exporters further.

If this sounds like something for you, then we are already finalising our next Export Trade Training course running in June and July 2022. The course is once again FREE, but spots are limited so click here to apply today.