Maintaining independence and dignity under pressure; Linda Meyer counsels aspiring women entrepreneurs

I am proud to be difficult, different, to have a voice that is mine and know who I am. It comes with years of experience, knowing who you are, and changing. Thank God we change. With all these experiences in our lives — good and bad — we transcend.

Dr Linda Meyer (right), Director: Operations and Sector Support at Universities South Africa (USAf), declared these words to members of the Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) who gathered on 23 March to be empowered on Maintaining Independence and Dignity Under Pressure.

Independence

She said due to fear of being labelled as outliers or agitators — people often cower to opinions departing from the consensus. Often, women are said to be difficult when they hold strong opinions. It is a label used to corner them into conformity. It is for this reason she proudly embraces being “difficult.”