Niël Terblanché
In a significant stride toward self-empowerment and professional growth, five Namibian women embarked on a transformative journey with the commencement of the 2024 Katuka Mentorship Programme.
This year’s programme, sponsored by Bank Windhoek for the fifth consecutive year, aims to provide a nurturing environment for young women to explore their potential, enhance their skills, and boost their confidence in the professional realm.
The programme welcomed Maano Shimanda, Beauty Katjina, Elizabeth Mbidi, Esther Hatutale, and Angeline Shaningwa as mentees, each bringing unique aspirations and backgrounds to the table. Shimanda, a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at the Social Security Commission, along with Katjina, a dedicated teacher at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church School, Mbidi, the Head of the Accounting Development Fund at the Social Security Commission, Hatutale, a Marketing and Events Practitioner at NamWater, and Shaningwa, an estate agent at Yellow Square Properties, have all expressed their excitement and readiness to grow personally and professionally through this programme.
The 2024 iteration of the programme saw 22 mentors and 21 mentees embarking on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment.
During the first training session held at the Capricorn Corner Building in Windhoek on Wednesday, 7 February 2024, Hayley Allen, Bank Windhoek’s Head of Strategic Communication, underscored the importance of authenticity, trust-building, and understanding between mentors and mentees.
She highlighted that the mentorship programme serves as a life-changing opportunity for the participants to receive guidance from women who have made significant contributions to their communities.
The mentees, especially Mbidi and Shaningwa, lauded the Katuka Mentorship Programme as a vital platform for young Namibian women striving for excellence in their respective fields. Mbidi looks forward to the programme sparking motivation within her career, while Shaningwa sees it as a means to achieve her ambitious sales targets in the competitive property market.
Desere Lundon-Muller, the organiser of the Economist Businesswoman Projects, emphasized the programme’s role in empowering and encouraging business and professional women in Namibia to reach their full potential.
She urged participants to remain flexible, committed, and in constant communication throughout the year.
The Katuka Mentorship Programme, running for the past 23 years, has made a profound impact on the careers of its mentees, with close to 500 entrepreneurs and businesswomen having completed the programme.
It stands as a testament to Bank Windhoek’s commitment to creating opportunities for young corporate businesswomen in Namibia to flourish in their careers and personal lives.
As the 2024 programme unfolds, it promises to be a year of authentic stories of transformation and growth, further solidifying its legacy of empowering Namibian women in the business world.
