The “International Women’s Day celebration was held on March 8, and hosted by the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture at the Adansonia Conference Center in Francistown. The ceremony was held under the 2023 theme, “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”, with the main purpose of promoting gender equality in innovation and technology. Furthermore, the occasion served to acknowledge, empower and celebrate women actively participating in digital transformation.
Our attendance at the event was facilitated by Botswana Development and Innovation Hub (BDIH), and we were represented by our Systems Analyst, Winnie Mooketsi, who showcased some of our innovative solutions and software technology. As a woman led startup, we are deliberate in our actions to empower women in their pursuit for digital transformation. We create opportunities for women in the tech space, and join conversations around the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women; in order to learn on newer and effective ways to motivate participation.
In attendance were several woman led organizations and tech companies, as well students from Clifton High, Mater Spei College, Mophato High and John Mackenzie. The day started on positive note with a special keynote address from BIUST Vice Chancellor, Professor Otlogetswe Totolo who emphasized the central role that technology plays in promoting gender equality and identifying digital gaps that exist in relation to the issue of women’s digital participation. Clifton students commented on the challenges that are faced by the girl child, especially during menstruation, highlighting that girls and women alike miss school or work due to excruciating menstrual pains. They proceeded to present a solution that could help girls; a remotely controlled corset, containing hydraulic acid that when heated, gives heat to the body therefore offering immediate relief. It was inspiring to see the work that is being done with empowering women in tech from a grassroots level. The day was followed by a panel discussion, which tackled the theme for the day, and also created a platform for panelists to share their sentiments, journey, opinions, and suggestions bringing to attention issues of gender in the digital economy. The day was truly a phenomenal one, having met with incredible females (young and old) who were eager to learn about what we do, the services and products we provide. The feedback received was overwhelmingly positive. Many were intrigued by BusinessPoint and were eager to discover more features and benefits about the product.
