University of Pretoria: UP SRC hosts Women in Entrepreneurship workshop

The University of Pretoria’s (UP’s) Student Representative Council (SRC) recently hosted a three-day Women in Entrepreneurship workshop.

The workshop aimed to empower and equip young women who are founders and entrepreneurs in the technology industry with the resources to turn business ideas into successful enterprises.

Jade Kearney, New-York based author and CEO of digital health platform She Matters, presented the workshop. “We want to provide black female founders in tech with an opportunity to network, learn and celebrate our unique contributions to the entrepreneurial community, and support founders by offering expert panels, funding resources, and mentorship,” she said.

Speaking about the importance of empowering young women in entrepreneurship, Kearney added: “We need to ensure women enter the male-dominated tech industry by giving them the necessary skills and networking opportunities and helping them develop the confidence to know that they can do it. It is great to see other women who have made the breakthrough commit to working with those who aspire to enter the field.”

Kearney first visited UP in 2019 while studying at New York University. “During that visit I was able to build relationships with the students and faculties and was truly inspired by the women and sense of community. I knew I wanted to be a part of this community.” When she was invited back by the SRC to run its Women in Entrepreneurship workshop she didn’t hesitate.

Ntsako Mondlana, third-year education student and founder of Smarties Academic Academy, found great value in attending. “Through this workshop, I got the opportunity to engage with women from different ethnic groups; we shared business ideas and learned new things.”

Mondlana said women empowerment is important. “Women are always viewed as inferior, and our businesses not as successful as the other gender’s. We are not given first preference in boardrooms as well, which makes it hard to succeed. Women empowerment to me is helping girls of all ages to realise their worth and work on themselves to improve their lives.”