The Chairperson of the COMESA First Ladies Round Table, and Malawi’s First Lady, Her Excellency Madame Callista Mutharika, graced the Women of Distinction Awards (WODA) held on Saturday, 10 March 2012 at Malawi’s New State House in the country’s capital, Lilongwe.
Speaking at the event, Madame Callista Mutharika stressed the need for women to take leadership positions.
“Few women occupy managerial positions and the numbers are still painfully low,” she said.
Mrs Mutharika further highlighted the need for women to take a leading role in entrepreneurship. She asked women to take their businesses seriously and maintain consistency.
“The women that are being awarded today are achievers because they took their work seriously, and may this act as an example to all of us women in Malawi,” she said.
The Minister of Gender, Children and Community Development, Hon. Reen Kachere (MP), encouraged women to support each other instead of pulling one other down.
The occasion was attended by the Federation of National Associations of Women in Business in Eastern and Southern Africa (FEMCOM), Executive Director, Mrs Katherine Ichoya.
In her speech, Mrs Ichoya said COMESA’s theme of harnessing science and technology for development should encourage women to take advantage of the commitment that the COMESA authorities have made in supporting them in business.
She announced COMESA Secretary-General’s visit to Malawi and his commitment to supporting women in business.
“The Secretary-General is committed to supporting women’s programmes especially in agri-business, textiles and design, and the leather sectors. In the case of Malawi, we are closely monitoring production of starch from cassava. We at COMESA believe Malawi could take a lead in starch production. We hope more women will take advantage of COMESA’s commitment.”
She further asked Malawian women to take advantage of the fact that Malawi is hosting the FEMCOM Secretariat. She commended the organisers of the event and confirmed that FEMCOM would continue to support such initiatives.
FEMCOM’s commitment is to promote activities of women in business in the COMESA region, so that they can take advantage of the wider market in the COMESA region.
The Women of Distinction Awards are the first of its kind in Malawi. Former Official Hostess to Malawi’s first President Dr Kamuzu Banda, Mama Cecilia Kadzamira became Malawi’s first Life Time Achiever.
Women were presented with awards from the different spheres of agriculture, education, health, sports, media, the arts, science and technology, public services, young women leadership, maternal health and business.