When members of the Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) gathered online on 23 February 2022 to unpack the topic of resilience and sustainability, the core message was to be cognisant of the words they utter over themselves.
Dr Norah Clarke (left), Director: Entrepreneurship at Universities South Africa (USAf); together with Dr Carina van der Walt, an Educational Psychologist and Cultural Transit Expert and her mentee, Ms Kholiswa Masiso, each shared aspects they deemed crucial for the student women’s success as they take their place in the economy through entrepreneurial activities.
Commencing the session, Dr Clarke reminded the student women in attendance that taking responsibility to equip themselves was crucial for their economic participation. She acknowledged that many people would opt for employment, as that is more comfortable, compared to entrepreneurship. However, the choice is not always given, and sometimes, certain people are cut out for business. Therefore, how people position themselves matters.
“How do you make sure that your economic future is sustainable, and how do you make sure that your business is sustainable?” she asked.