Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) Coordinator, Sandra Maputa has urged women and girls in Western Province to be innovative and venture into Information and Technology Communications (ITC) activities.
Ms Maputa said most women have failed to progress in life due to lack of computer literacy.
She said this in interview with ZANIS, ahead of this year’s International Women’s day which is commemorated annually on 8th March.
Ms Maputa said most women are computer illiterate hence have failed to compete with men in technology related issues.
“The World has advanced, everything has gone digital, therefore it is important for all women to move with the changing technology and adapt some new innovations that are coming on board,” she said.
Ms Maputa also appealed to government and Non-Governmental Organisations to increase on women empowerment activities so that they are well vested in issues of technology.
“We appreciate that government and some Non-Governmental Organisations have some empowerment activities for women but we still appeal to them to come up with more of such programmes to enable many women have access to them,” she said.
Ms Maputa further appealed to the Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) to also come up with capacity building trainings to empower women who access loans to have the knowledge on how to handle the resources.
“We want to have more capacity buildings for women so that they can also access certain information easily through different digital platforms right in their homes,” she said.
And a Mongu based entrepreneur, Joyce Nyambe who is specialised in secretarial and photocopying services, has urged other people to venture into ITC businesses.
“I have been engaged in secretarial services since 1997 and I do not regret anything because this business has enabled me earn an income that I use to take care of my family,” she said.
She said it is important for women to diversify in business and start new things, especially those which were regarded as activities for only the menfolk.
This year’s women’s day will be commemorated under the theme: “Digital: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality.”
