JUNE/JULY 2010
1. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Unlimited
Stereotyping
Professional
Women
Financial
Freedom
ALCHEMY’S
AWARDS
Alchemy HR
Solutions Ltd.
CONTENTS
Your Say
3
Editor’s Note
4
Stereotyping Professional Women
6
Profile: Mwansa Mulumba - Mutimushi
8
Workforce Diversity: The 50:50 Issue
9
Financial Freedom for women in Zambia
11
Alchemy’s “Show me a Women” Awards
14
Alchemy WiL Favourite Quotes
16
Ask the Experts: Labour Matters
17
From breathless to full of breath
20
Musebu Sichula: Unlimited
21
Editor’s Favoutite Sites
25
Alchemist of the month Saviour Chibiya
26
Monthly Survey
28
WiL Launch in pictures
29
Scholarships for the month
31
WiL Directory
32
WiL Calendar
34
Classifieds
35
Membership Form
36
Alchemy HR
Solutions Ltd.
WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
NETWORK (WIL)
EDITORIAL TEAM
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Chimango Chikwanda
EDITOR
Janice Maliwa-Chipenzi
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Dr. Chiseche Mibenge
Kabinda Kawesha
MARKETING & PR
Rinnah Phiri
Alchemy HR Solutions
2nd Floor Design House, Lusaka Zambia
Contact us on: Tel +260 211 236898
Mobile: +260 97 7770805
http://twitter.com/alchemyzambia
Website: www.alchemyhr.com
Email [email protected]
Your Say...
Hi,
I would like to commend you on your
magazine WIL network. It is an interesting
read and I would like to be getting copies
of your issues on mail.
I love your adverts, your concept and the
fact that networking is an absolutely
critical business driver.
Well done.
Perhaps not the correct channel but please
do add me to your mailing list.
Of most interest to me was the read
on Mizinga Melu, the wonderful yet
informative quotes and last but not
least the story and interview on Monica
Musonda. I must say these have had a
positive impact on myself and getting to
read more stories on women who have
made it in various works of life is a good
motivation. I have shared this with all the
women I know and some men too as some
of the tips given there benefit us all.
I would love to be a member of the club.
Rgds
Carol White
Diane Wesa-Budd
Finally I would like to know if it is possible
to get a copy of the book ‘Mind of a fox’ by
Chantell Llbury and Clem Sunter or where I
could get a copy for myself.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Kind rgds,
NJOKI KIGOTO
Barclays Bank of Kenya
NAIROBI, KENYA
Congratulations
And very impressed with the newsletter.
Good day,
Reading the newsletter, it’s like a light bulb
has been switched on in my head.
I have a face book and hi5 account, and
never once thought about ‘brand ME’. At
some point it comes out as a play page
were we post all sorts of things, but after
today, am changing my profile and will try
to look at it from an employer’s point of
view.
Thank you for the insight
Regards
Rodasi
WINNING
LETTER!
Excellent first edition!! Look forward to
the next!
Samuel Munzele Maimbo, Sr. Financial
Sector Specialist, Africa, World Bank
Dear Editor,
This is awesome! It’s amazing, inspiring
and motivating. I have told my God one
day soon I will be in that magazine. Let’s
hold hands as Zambian women and lift
each other up!
Uplifted,
Grace
I received, from a friend, a copy of the first edition of your WIL Newsletter and would like
to commend you for its excellence, both in content and presentation, and feel proud to be
associated with some of the outstanding personalities featured therein. I look forward to
reading about the many more Zambian ladies that have excelled in the various sectors of
our economy, a good number of whom have made a very positive and significant impact to
the economic and social development of our beautiful country.
Keep up the good work and I look forward to receiving, hopefully from yourselves, future
publications and/or any other documentation/information highlighting the sterling
performance of the exceptional women of Zambia!
Regards,
Isabelle M. M. Lemba
Deputy High Commissioner
High Commission of the Republic of Zambia
GHANA
4. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Deciding what
is important to
YOU...
THIS month we continue with our theme of becoming CEO of our lives, and
feature articles and activities on this subject. We have a Wellness Day this
month for women, and Ken Simwaba advises us on Financial Freedom in this
edition of the Newsletter, why it is important and what you need to do to get
it. I want to advise about Mental, Emotional and Physical Fitness.
Financial Freedom
When we talk of successful people we tend to focus on material or professional
success. Our society is all about conspicuous consumption, zimya neighba
(keeping up with the Jones’), or “get rich quick or die trying.” When we once
tried to advise young men at a workplace to use their bonuses ( 9 month’s
salary) to buy plots or houses, they sniggered and responded “ waza ziwa
bwanji…” (how will they know that I have made it.) Many bought BMWs
and other luxury vehicles “because you can’t carry a house around,” and
continued living in small rented apartments. I was puzzled that someone
would choose a luxury car over an opportunity to invest in their future
financial freedom particularly since property values in Zambia seem to
double every 3 years.
Why Fitness
As women we drop everything when our children or even spouses
are sick. When I put my health first during my third pregnancy and
took the full three months maternity leave, I was criticized by a male
colleague for it. He disparagingly told me that my predecessor had
only taken 2 weeks off after a caesarian section. Being older and
wiser, I was unphased by this comment and, more importantly,
unapologetic in my response, I mocked him deadpan “it is the law,
do you want me to break the law?”
Neglecting My Fitness
This experience took me back to a younger me. I was 29 years old
when I was appointed as the first female and youngest Executive
on the SABMiller, Zambia Executive Board. The environment
was male dominated and very tough. At the time, of the 1,500
employees, only 50 were female, and most of these were in clerical
or administrative positions. In fact, when I was appointed one of my
immediate subordinates resigned because he couldn’t bring himself
to report to a young woman, but that’s another story.
The company was going through a very difficult and complex
integration process having bought the Coca Cola operations. In
aligning and integrating two companies with divergent cultures, the
industrial relations environment was horrendous. I had four trade
unions to manage plus the integration itself. As a woman, I had a
lot to prove. This meant getting to the office in the industrial area
at 06.30hrs to be there for crew meetings and leaving at 19.00hrs
sometimes 20.00hrs to stay ‘ on top of things.’ All this whilst being
3 months pregnant with a 2 year old toddler at home!
When I finally found a‘window’two months into my appointment
at 5 months pregnant to go for my antenatal, the Doctor, a woman,
asked me why I had missed two antenatal appointments. I told
EDITOR’S NOTE
5. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
When I finally found
a ‘window’ two months
into my appointment
at 5 months pregnant
to go for an antenatal
the Doctor, a woman,
asked me why I hadn’t
been for my antenatal.
I told her I was too
busy. She asked me
unsmiling, “you need
to decide what is more
important to you, your
job or your life and the
baby’s life.”
her I was too busy. She asked me unsmiling, “you need
to decide what is more important to you, your job or
your life and the baby’s life.” That really put things into
perspective.
One of the biggest challenges faced by women
surveyed is balancing their lives. I sometimes joke
that the Women’s Liberation movement must have
been started by a man, if someone had told us that
we would spend most of our most valuable time in
the day in pressure filled offices and then go home to
be Supermum/daughter/sister/in-law/wife thereafter,
feeding children, doing homework and sleeping at
funerals, would we have so vigourously burned our
bras?
Our lives today are filled with such incredible stress,
managing the professional and societal demands
placed on women. My lowest point in this ‘worklife
balancing act’ has to have been getting a phone call
at 23.00hrs from work requesting ‘urgent’ information
whilst trying to settle a 3 month old baby. What made
this worse was knowing I had a sleepless night ahead of
me and a 06.00hrs start to get the kids off to school and
to get to work on time.
I look at the difficult conditions under which nurses
and teachers work and I know that when they get
home they immediately transfer from professionals
into full-time mothers and wives, instead of changing
into the sexy Superman outfit, their Supermum outfit
is the ever faithful chitenge or kanga. I wonder how
much time they can possibly have for themselves, not
the cosmetic appearance from the hair and nail saloons,
but their internal health. I wonder what toll it takes on
them emotionally, spiritually and ultimately physically.
The challenge
This month we urge women to find ways to replenish
their mind, body and spirit to empower them to better
deal with other pressures. On Saturday 5 June 2010, we
held a Women’s Wellness Morning at OxyGym free of
charge for all our members where we partnered with
three of our WiL Network members: Medicare Opticians,
Kathuta Yoga, and MBS (Mind Body and Soul). We also
partnered with OxyGym, Society for Family Health (SfFH)
and CIDRZ to provide women with an opportunity to
take control of their health and well-being. CIDRZ was
offering Cervical Cancer screening and a talk on Cancer
and Food. Cervical Cancer, by the way, is the biggest
killer of women in Sub-saharan Africa. SfFH conducted
HIV/AIDS Counselling and Testing; Medicare conducted
eye tests; Kathuta gave a talk on stress management
and Yoga; and Mind Body and Spirit (MBS) spoke about
physical fitness and signed people up for the 6 week
Women’s Fitness Group/Boot camp for those serious
about improving physical strength and health. We
were pleasantly surprised and duly impressed by the
number of women who came in on a Saturday morning
to empower themselves with the requisite information
to take control of their destinies.
Make the decision today. Become CEO of your life –
put your Fitness first.
Chimango Chikwanda
6. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Stereotyping
Professional
Women
Chiseche Mibenge*
I SPENT my early twenties in conservative work clothes, attempting to ‘look older’ in order to
assure clients that I really was the lawyer at the law firm and later the auditing firm I won part
time consultancy work with. I am closer to my forties than my twenties now, and I watch my
wardrobe choices with some amusement. For a phone interview with a panel of six for a research
position with an Ivy League university, I answered firmly and authoritatively whilst sitting cross
legged on my floor in a t-shirt and” bumster” jeans. And as a human rights trainer for civil society
organizations in Rwanda I wore a different dress every day – each dress is tailor-made from java
wax or gara fabric but designed by my tailor and I to replicate a contemporary western A-line or
shirt dress. My legs are bare in these pretty dresses, my waist and bust strategically emphasized
by handmade belts.
After 15 years in the workforce I can
afford to look younger and more attractive
than my clients. At times it is my youthful air
that secures my consultancy opportunities,
inspires confidence in my clients or wins over
my graduate and undergraduate students. It is
of course this, combined with my curriculum
vitae, which displays the unique skill set of
a proven expert in her field who lives and
works on three continents – one who cannot
be undermined by distinct expressions of
her liberal and eclectic self, evident in her
professional wardrobe.
I don’t like to look back at the image of my
young woman’s body buried in a baggy, boxy,
black work uniform. What then is my message
to young women entering the work force? If
you’re feeling skanky, dress skanky? Bad hair
day?-just don’t comb it, go on in. Not sure about
that thigh high slit – be a devil, take it up a little
higher….Um…yes and no.
When looking for this helpful message of
guidance, I have uncovered what led to my
uncharacteristic ‘cover up’ in my early days as a
career woman: Stereotypes. I was conscious of
the stereotypes circulating on the University
of Zambia campus, during my practical legal
training and in the professional work arena
about young women and our work ethic,
capabilities and potential: On campus, rumors
(I realize now how malicious and unfounded
they were) abounded about which female
students slept with professors in exchange
for good grades; in the office authoritative
women were described as ‘frustrated’ either
because they were unmarried or else allegedly
unhappily married. With a close circle of
girlfriends we discussed sexually inappropriate
comments or touching from male colleagues,
and exchanged tips on how to frustrate
such overtures without causing trouble (for
ourselves). The malicious rumors, the improper
attention from male colleagues were fuelled
by stereotypes about women and how they
entered the workforce and secured success:
With their womanly charms, big busts (which I
tried to conceal), and flattering outfits.
Stereotypes led me to conceal my individual
style and indeed individual personality in the
workforce. I confess! I happen to be a woman
who is more comfortable in a snug fitting
pantsuit than a dress that fits like a tent. But
7. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
for many years I avoided figure hugging
in order not to invite sexual harassment or
assumptions being made about attractive
women in the office. Sex stereotypes not only
have the power to control women’s personal
choices in the work force, stereotypes can and
do lead to discrimination.
As a human rights lawyer with a special
interest in the right to equal treatment and
non-discrimination, I often discuss the line
between stereotypes and discrimination. A
case that clearly illustrates this is the Price
Waterhouse v Hopkins case. Ann Hopkins was
by all accounts a top class senior manager,
consistent in her leadership and winning
million dollar contracts for Price Waterhouse,
at that time one of the big 8 national auditing
firms. She was a natural candidate for partner,
and her mentors, both partners, nominated her
with full confidence (she was the only woman
nominee out of 88 candidates). However,
Hopkins was denied admission to partnership,
not once, but twice. One kindhearted mentor
privately advised her that the problem was
that she was regarded by the male partners
as too macho, not charming enough, too
masculine and tough-talking. Hopkins was
advised to walk more femininely, behave more
like an appealing lady partner, have her hair
styled, wear make up and jewelry, etc. etc.
Hopkins got the picture: Her career was
over. She walked away from her job, sued her
former employer for constructive dismissal
(forced out of her job by the career ending
situation) and for sex discrimination contrary
to the Civil Rights Act. Hopkins relied on the
mentor’s disclosure of the ‘problems’ the
partners had with her ‘unfeminine’ persona
and earlier indicators of a sexist office culture
taken from sentiments made by a partner
to the effect that women should never be
considered for senior management positions,
let alone for admission as partners.
PriceWaterhouse vigorously defended
the case in court for more than 7 years: as
part of their legal defense they claimed that
stereotyping (per se) is not unlawful i.e.
evidence of discrimination. The US Courts held
that stereotyping women is indeed evidence of
discrimination and unlawful. Hopkins failed to
be the pretty, sweet, heavily made up woman
with a hip swaying walk – she apparently did
not satisfy the stereotype of women the work
culture the male partners called for. Apparently
even her desire to be a partner was contrary to
what partners expected of women colleagues.
PriceWaterhouse was ordered to reinstate
Ann Hopkins and admit her to the position of
partner.
Fast forward to a decade later: Christina Rich,
is a female partner at PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
Good news? Um…yes and no. Rich claimed
that bullying and sexual harassment of female
staff was tolerated by the company. This
culture allowed men to kiss and cuddle female
colleagues and Rich personally alleged in her
law suit that a male partner put his hand in
her blouse and attempted to remove her bra
at a business event. Has nothing changed?
Apparently, Rich, unlike Hopkins, was
charming and pretty enough to be regarded as
a sexual object by male partners. However, her
rejecting sexual harassment meant that she
rejected the stereotype she was asked to play
up to. In 2008 Rich won a US$2 million payout
from PriceWaterhouseCoopers following
mediation.
I use the two cases, not in order to describe
the very convoluted legal intricacies they
raised, but rather to reveal the danger of
stereotypes. Fulfilling the stereotype (wearing
sexy or playful clothes) might make a woman
more vulnerable to bullying and sexual
harassment, and rejecting the stereotype
(adopting traditionally male attitudes of
competence and assertiveness) might lead to
a backlash or pushback from colleagues.
My intention is not to provide an answer or
guidelines to women entering the workforce,
as with experience, individuals begin to craft
responses that suit their specific circumstances
at a given time. In the negative I can say that
the answer is not to adopt mannerisms and
a wardrobe that are neither overtly feminine
nor aggressively male – a balance cannot
be maintained when chauvinists and bigots
change the rules on you at a whim. If forced
to provide an answer, even if it is solely,
my answer, I would say that establishing
competence and inspiring confidence are my
priorities. After 15 years in the workforce, I
assert myself through a documented record of
past accomplishments, my ready assumption
of new roles and the potential I demonstrate
to create opportunities and profits for my
organization and our clients. As my capacity to
perform grows, my work wardrobe becomes
more and more insignificant, even as it grows
more daring and more representative of my
personal expression and ethic.
Notes
* Dr. Chiseche Mibenge is an independent
expert in gender, human rights and access to
justice.
1. Ann Branigar Hopkins writes candidly
about her career and landmark case
against PriceWaterhouse in her book, So
Ordered: Making Partner the Hard Way,
University of Massachusetts Press (1996).
2. Christina Rich was a financial adviser,
and is said to have been the highest-paid
partner in PriceWaterhouseCoopers’ office
in Australia when she resigned on account
of discrimination. See the Telegraph, 30
March 2008 for reporting on the court
proceedings and out of court settlement.
Telegraph.co.uk
8. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Women in Leadership (WiL) on the move
PROFILE
Mwansa Mulumba - Mutimushi
Alchemy Women in Leadership heartily congratulates
one of its members, Mwansa Mulumba-Mutimushi on
her recent appointment.
MWANSA has been appointed Company Secretary for
Zambian Breweries Plc.
Mwansa is a graduate of Law from the University
of Zambia having graduated in 2000 and thereafter
proceeded to the Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal
Education where she qualified to practice as an Advocate
for the High Court and Supreme Court of Zambia. Mwansa
also holds a Masters Degree in Intellectual Property Law
from the University of Turin in Italy.
Her passion for the legal profession has seen her
undertake courses in Mediation & Arbitration. As such, she
is a qualified Mediator and an Associate of the Chartered
Institute of Arbitrators of London. She is also a member of
the Chartered Institute of Secretaries of the UK.
Mwansa joined Zambian Breweries Plc as it’s first
in- house Legal Counsel in 2006 and will now have the
Secretarial Office added to her portfolio.
She is married and a mother of three little girls.
We have no doubt that Mwansa will achieve a great
deal in her current position. Here’s to being UNLIMITED!
Congratulations Mwansa!
WORKFORCE DIVERSITY:
THE
9. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
ISSUE
By Mulemwa Moongwa
THE 20th Century saw the rise of women---the 21st Century will see the social, economic and
political consequences of that revolution. The new millennium has witnessed a significant change
and attitudinal shift in both women’s and society’s thoughts about women’s equality, this change
has brought about new challenges for educators, policy makers and employers across the globe.
Amidst challenges ranging from globalization, `greening’ and technology integration, the women
are also demanding recognition almost a decade into the revolution, is this cause justified? For the
first time in the history of mankind, women are working alongside men in the same jobs, same
companies, with the same levels of education , the same qualifications and comparable ambitions
but the battle is far from won. Women are tired of just being workers!
Women have for long been treated as mythical minorities, their assumed fragility, the emotional
threshold to tolerate work related pressure while keeping it together on the home front and lets
not forget their biological disruptions are a few reasons given for the exclusion of women. Women’s
mass arrival into the world of work in the 20th century is emerging as an economic revolution with
enormous consequences, the 21st century employers need to concede this Venus effect.
Today, nearly a decade into the new millennium, the economic power of women is becoming
clearer, they possess 50% of the talent pool and account for more that 75% of consumer spending
decisions. Womenomics is a term used to describe the economic revolution created by their
growing power and potential. The Economist recently observed “forget China, India and the
Internet: economic growth is driven by women” and no business public or private can afford to
ignore.
The Zambian employer needs to fully comprehend that the Gender issue is not merely a
women’s issue, but that this subject has an impact on the bottom line. We are all thriving in a
knowledge based economy that has very little to do with physical abilities. Women empowerment
in knowledge societies entails building up abilities and skills of women to gain insight into the
issues affecting them and also building up their capacity to voice their concerns. Female employees
are continually demanding for 50:50 representation, before any decisions are made hastily , is this
demand achievable ? The issue is not just about increasing numbers but increasing numbers where
it matters. This initiative should not be about quantity but quality. Women need to make demands
and have justifiable facts. When it comes to organisational leadership , as management puts in
place initiatives to groom the future , the target should be 50:50.
We know that the advancement barriers that were faced by women in the past have in most
cases been eliminated. Can we level the playing field and move beyond 50:50 to an approach
that will target the best people? Wouldn’t it be interesting to prohibit job seekers to disclose their
gender until the short listing stage? Women should not be seen as problems but as part of the
solution, women are no just mythical minorities in the workplace battle zone but have arrived in
full leadership armor.
Gender initiatives are not simple and are not women issues. The way your organisation initiates
gender initiatives is key to their success, the surest way for success is to develop your workforce
fully to maximize their potential. Managers need to develop diversity skills that will enable them
handle cultural ,generational and gender diversity, in the absence of these skills you have iLearn.
Mulemwa Moongwa
Organisational Learning Consultant
iLearn, Africonnect
Pyramid Plaza, Church Road
+260 979 867396, 211-253005
We have Financial Solutions that
take your Business to the Next Level
You’ve spent the past years establishing and building your organisation. Now you’re considering
that next ambitious phase.
Expanding operations and capacity? Building or buying a new property? Renovating your existing
premises? Or perhaps you’re looking for new partners to share the risk and take part in the rewards?
At Laurence Paul, we’d like to help turn your company’s vision into reality.
Our Corporate Finance Advisory services provide access to a team of dedicated professionals with
the right solutions for helping your company grow and realise its full potential.
Our range of services include:




Debt Financing
Corporate Bonds
Commercial Paper
Equity Finance, Mergers and acquisitions




Financial Analysis
Financial structuring and re-structuring
Company valuation & Due diligence reviews
Detailed Business and Strategic Planning
To find out more about what Laurence Paul can do for your organisation, call us today, or visit
www.laurencepaul.com
Investment Banking . Credit . Debt . Equity. Capital Markets . Securities
5th Floor, Design House, Cairo Road
Tel: 211 220302/3 Fax: 211 220454
Email: [email protected] www.laurencepaul.com
Laurence Paul Investment Services Ltd is an Licensed Dealer under the Securities Act
11. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Financial
Freedom
for women in Zambia
WE all want and desire freedom, but how many of us desire financial freedom?
Freedom from the pressures, stresses of lacking and or worrying about financial
security? Well there is a way that you can achieve this and more importantly if you
are a woman.
At first glance, it seems hard to believe that women’s financial needs are at all
different from men’s. According to MsMoney.Com, whilst the general principles
of financial planning apply to both gender’s women face unique challenges that
translate to different financial needs. One can consider the following facts:
• Women on average live longer than men( approximately 7 years), so they need to
save 20% more for retirement
• On average women earn 25% less than men
• Since women tend to take time off from the work place to raise children or take
care of parents (women take roughly 11 years more from work than men), they
save less than men do for retirement
• In the USA, after earning lower salaries for fewer years, women’s social freedom
benefits are about half the amount dispensed to men
• In a survey done in the USA between 1996 and 1998,
90% of women had certificates of deposits
(CD’s more like fixed deposits in Zambia)
when a more aggressive investment
vehicle would have been wiser.
12. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
While increasing numbers of women are
taking charge of their financial future,
many still leave money management to
men or ignore it altogether. As a result, far
too many women stay on the sidelines of
the money game and never take charge of
their financial future.
The consequences can be serious as the
same survey that was done in the US
indicates:
• Almost 1 in 4 women are broke within
two months of their husband’s death
• Overall 75% of all women are widowed
at an average age of 56 (this is even
less in our Zambian situation)
• 53% of women are not covered by
a pension compared to only 22% of
men.
• A staggering 87% of the poverty
stricken elderly are women
Given the above scenario which is cross
cutting and applies globally, the question
as a woman that you should be asking
yourself is: should I be worried about my
future? The answer is yes but there is a
way to mitigate this problem and avoid its
adverse effects happening to you.
The following six tips on management
of money by renowned expert Odiete
Eneakpodia, could help you achieve
financial freedom by assisting you manage
your money prudently and diligently:
1. Set financial goals – and aspire to
achieve them! This is the first step for
any woman committed to acquiring
financial freedom and security. Goal
setting allows you to plan and aspire
to be in a much better financial
position than currently. It also allows
you to plan over a period of time and
make improvements when relevant.
2. Use the services of Financial
Advisors – most people and not just
women always consider money issues
as personal and private, but remember
that they are trained experts who can
advise you in confidence and help
you map out a plan for your future.
Experienced, qualified and accredited
advisors bring to the table vast
experience and expertise in money
management, financial and estate
planning that proves to be very useful
in the management of your finances.
This is customized to suit your needs,
your risk appetite and is regularly
reviewed to take into account
changing circumstances such as birth
of a child, increase in income, death of
a partner, divorce etc.
13. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
3. Create a budget to keep track of your expenses – this assists you to plan on a regular basis, what percentage of your income you should be
setting aside for savings and investments.
4. Educate yourself on investing – remember the key word is “investing” and not “saving”. Educate yourself about the difference between the
two terms. There are several resources available to do this: books especially by the author Suzie Orman, which are focused on women and are
available locally in bookshops, the internet, financial institutions, investments and brokerage firms, market updates.
5. Get out of debt – financial freedom starts with being debt free. Pay on time, never skip installments as this accrues interest and try as much
as possible to clear off debts as quickly as possible. Debt will hinder you from achieving your investment objectives.
6. Get involved in the financial matters of the home – don’t leave such decisions to your partner but rather get involved in the management of
the family’s finances and the decisions related to such, like the purchase of new car, home, which school for your children etc. Most women only
come to know the level of indebtedness or the looming bankruptcy after a divorce or death of a partner. This can be avoided by participating
and knowing what is going on.
the key
word is
“investing”
and not
“saving”.
Remember financial freedom
is priceless!
This article is from Madison Asset Management Company Limited,
an authorized and regulated investment advisory firm that provides
financial planning, share investing, unit trusts, gratuity funds,
education investment funds and estate planning services amongst
some of its products. It will soon be launching a women specific
investment fund.
Contact us on
[email protected]
or get more information on:
www. madisonassets.co.zm
Telephone: 211 223023/25
Hair Salon exclusively for Kids.
Plot 6054 Sibweni Road Northmead
Or call us on Tel: 260 211 292 564
260 966 753 907, 260 977 726 615
14. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Alchemy’s
Awards
Part of the mission statement of the network is to recognize contributions of woman in Zambia. We intend to
do this through an annual event ‘Show me a woman’ Awards.
Categories for the award
- Woman of the Year Award
This woman must epitomize strength and determination. If she had a mantra it would be “others before self”.
Criteria:
The nominee must have achieved her goals despite and against all odds and have the strength to overcome the
greatest of obstacles, resolve problems and be determined to attain a positive outcome.
She must have helped people around her to GROW through her resourcefulness such as setting up of projects
or sharing ideas that have made a difference in people’s lives.
- Professional Woman of the Year Award
This Award pays tribute to yet another remarkable Zambian woman. We pay tribute to her overall excellence,
achievements and innovative leadership. It recognizes the impact of her contribution to her organization,
community, industry, and the economy and, in the process, highlights the important role that women leaders
play in today’s organizations and how they inspire a new generation of women.
Criteria:
The nominee must have demonstrated excellent leadership and management skills by heading an organization,
making changes, and achieving results
The nominee could be from either the government or private sector.
The nominee must have successfully overcome the gender gap and dominated through the art of leadership.
The nominee must have set a trend that motivates women to enter professional and leadership positions
- Businesswoman of the Year Award
This Award seeks to give recognation to women who have with courage grown their business exponencially;
are competing in non-traditional sectors; or who have significantly contributed to the development of the local
economy by creating jobs and encouraging others in the communty to do so.
Criteria:
This woman should have successfully set up a business venture. The nominee must be active in a profitable
business registered and operating in Zambia for three full years as of May 31st, 2010. The nominee must
own shares of the company, hold the senior executive title and/or be the chief decision maker. She must be
responsible for the day-to-day management and the financial bottom line of the company.
She must be the founder of the business or have had a significant impact on the company.
The nominee’s company must have a unique product, service or business strategy that gives her company a
competitive edge in the marketplace.
- Lifetime Achievement Award
Candidates of this Award must be living role models.
Criteria:
The nominee’s career or business must span at least 3 decades. Through their courage, they chose the path less
travelled and paved the way for other women to pursue their dreams.
Another consideration is the Momprenuer of the Year Award. It’s not easy juggling being a mom and setting a
15. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
business and making it successful.
Panel of Judges
The winners of Show a Woman Awards are selected by a diverse cross-section of women
consisting of prominent figures from the arts, business, law, medicine and a number of other
major prestigious fields.
Nominations and Documentation (Terms and Conditions)
1. All nominations must include the following information:
• Full name of the nominee and nominator.
• Address of the nominee and nominator.
• Phone number and e-mail address of the nominee and nominator.
• Age of the nominee (optional)
• A short summary of the nominee’s merits and adherence to the criteria of the award
should be included in the letter of nomination.
• Nominations should not exceed four (4)pages in length.
2. Documentation for the following categories; Woman of the Year, Professional Woman of
the Year, Businesswoman of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Awards should include detailed
documentation of adherence to the criteria of the specific award. Letters of support from
other individuals or groups are advisable. It shall be the responsibility of the individuals
or organization making the nomination to provide proper documentation. Nominations
without proper documentation will not be considered.
3. Only one nomination per submission.
4. Award Nominations will be accepted by standard mail, fax and e-mail (with a MS Word
Attachment).
5. Letters of support of nominations will be accepted by e-mail, fax or by standard mail.
Definition of The Modern Woman:
A weekend of Fun and
pampering
Wife
Mother
Worker
Entrepreneur
Sister
Friend
Daughter
Role-model
Student…etc..etc
Even Super Woman needs a break.
Inclusive:
Activities:
Air Fare
29th July – 1st Aug
Luxurious
accommodation…
Me time
• Shopping at the
Transportation
Activities
Accommodation
Angie & Louise Beauty
Hamper
All for just R7900
International
Designer Brands
Fashion Sale (up to
70% off!)
• Spa Treatment
• Live theatre
performance
• Dancing the night
away
• Soweto Tour
• Apartheid Museum
Tour
Bookings and Queries:
[email protected]
Tel: + 27 011 326 2599
Fax: +27 011 326 1955
The Ladies Travel Club
29th July – 1st Aug
IN
Johannesburg
Spa experience at
Mangwanani ….
Get
Entertained….
and so much
more.
16. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Alchemy WiL
favourite quotes
Most of you who saw our ads last year for our first ever Women in Leadership
seminar may have seen excerpts of the Marianne Williamson’s “POWERFUL
BEYOND MEASURE”. This month we feature the quote in it’s entirety. It’s a
powerful piece that has become a mantra for the ALCHEMY team.
1
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most.
We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?’
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel
insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us.
And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates
others.”
Marianne Williamson
Finally, we urge you to continue to seek knowledge, for through questioning
the status quo and seeking to change, to make things better within the
enviroment in which we operate and exist….we not only find answers but
growth as well.
2
“Sometimes questions are more important than answers.”
Nancy Willard
3
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important
thing is not to stop questioning.”
Albert Einstein
17. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Ask the Experts
With Chimango Chikwanda,
Director Alchemy HR Solutions
OUR company is an indigenous company with approximately 250
employees, the majority in the Copperbelt with offices in Lusaka
and Livingstone. We have recently had some disciplinary issues,
but don’t know how to design a disciplinary code. We have a copy
of a Disciplinary Code from one of the mining companies, but it is
complicated and onerous.
DISCIPLINARY CODES need not be complicated. The courts look for
fairness and a process which allows an employee an opportunity to
defend themselves. The following principles need to be followed when
designing it.
When an offence is committed, the employee must be informed that an
offence has been committed by his immediate supervisor. It is advisable
to ask the employee to give reason why disciplinary proceedings should
not be instituted, preferably in writing. This can avoid time being wasted
before instigating disciplinary proceedings as there may be a valid reason
for not proceeding with the case.
If the reason is not valid, a charge can be raised by the immediate
Supervisor who will act as the company’s representative. It is advisable
that HR checks that the correct charge has been raised in line with the
list of company offences as defined in the code. It is important not to
18. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Ask the Experts
...Continued
include criminal offences in the list of offences as the process is
administrative. Companies generally do not have the resources or
infrastructure to conduct a criminal investigation – for example if
the company dismisses the employee for a criminal offence and
the matter goes before the courts and the employee is exonerated,
the company may be presented with a dilemma. It is also advisable
that the administrative process is exhausted before the company
presses criminal charges against the employee. This should be
expeditiously executed, justice delayed is justice denied!
Once the charge is raised and given to the employee, the employee
should be given at least 48 hours to before the disciplinary case.
If the employee is to be suspended pending investigation, this
should be at full pay because it is assumed he is innocent during
the period of investigations.
Investigations in the administrative process do not have to
prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Once again, companies
do not have the resources or infrastructure to conduct criminal
investigations. In the case of disciplinary cases, the probability that
an offence was committed is sufficient. Exhaustive investigations
are therefore not necessary.
The disciplinary proceedings should be chaired by a manager
or someone senior to the employee and not his supervisor.
Some companies prefer having a disciplinary tribunal of about 3
managers to hear dismissable offences. The employee is allowed
to have present a representative who can be a union member in a
unionized environment or another employee. Once the charge is
presented, the employee is allowed to respond to the charge and
witnesses can be brought in by either party. HR’s role is usually
to take minutes and to ensure the correct process is followed. HR
should be impartial.
At the end of the session, the Chairman will usually ask for some
time to consider the details of the case fully and will either call back
the employee to tell him in person of the decision or he will write a
letter informing the employee of the decision at a later date. If the
employee is dismissed he will be given an opportunity to Appeal
to a higher authority usually within a fixed time frame. 72 hours is
reasonable. It is important that the Appeal is not a re-hearing of
the case. Most companies will stipulate that the Appeal will only
be considered if new evidence is availed or if the initial process was
flawed. Any other basis is usually rejected.
If the appeal is successful the employee is reinstated and any
income he has lost since his dismissal will be reimbursed to him.
It is recommended that mitigating factors are considered at
this stage and not at the initial stage because it may undermine
the credibility of the disciplinary process if it is not considered
consistently applied. Demotion or suspension without pay
are sometimes used as lesser penalties for dismissal, however,
demotions are not advised because it demotivates an employee
and may be detrimental to the company in the long term.
Chimango Chikwanda is a Director of Alchemy HR Solutions.
Alchemy HR Solutions offers specialized HR and Industrial
Relations advisory services to companies.
Contact [email protected]
Why gamble with
your business?
Contact Alchemy HR Solutions for specialised HR advisory solutions.
Administrative Support
• Employee Record & File
Management
• Facilitation of Compliance Training
Operational HR Guidance
• Staffing Process Development
• Recruitment of Key Executive
Positions
• New Hire Orientation Process
• Policy & Procedure
Development
Strategic Solutions
• Performance Management
System Development
• Retention Strategy
• Leadership Planning &
Development
• Organization Design
Consulting
Tel +260 211 236898 / Mobile +260 97 7770805
Email [email protected] / Website www.alchemyhr.com
Alchemy HR
Solutions Ltd.
Image
20. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
is Everything...
By Janice Maliwa-Chipenzi
Got a call from my cheerleader and friend Kabinda Kawesha reminding me to write a follow-up article
on my last piece on online social networking. After weeks of procrastination, I finally got round to
putting thoughts and experiences on paper…thanks Kabinda.
Sociability means visibility
I’m sure most of you on FB see picture updates on friend’s albums and notice that their pictures are
professionally taken. Most people used to ask why I spend money on professional photo shoots for
my family and I, I say because I want the image I show the world not to be the one I show my
husband
on a Saturday morning. Remember that sociability means visibility, that why to this day, I rarely
accept friend requests on FaceBook from profiles that don’t have a picture.
Pictures of you represent you when you don’t even know it. They are part of BRAND YOU. Your
picture is your image… people will judge you based on what they see since you aren’t there to speak
for yourself. The decision of which picture to use can be as much philosophical as it is professional.
Truth is, this photo may be used by people whom you don’t know very well as they try to size you
up – personally or professionally. So it matters. It’s no wonder, then, that you want to look good – but
perhaps, not too good. And definitely not like you’re trying hard. (Take note, glamour shot fans).
Remember, we all age. Wrinkles and fat happen. Just own it. By all means, choose a picture that you
find flattering, but live in the present, not in the past.
Missed opportunities
Pictures play other roles other than for use in social networking. Imagine you got appointed to be
CEO or to sit on a board of directors and the company needs a picture of you in the next 2 hours so
that they can include it on the announcement to all the major newspapers in the country. This is
probably the biggest announcement in your life ever, what image are you going to show the
world as you make your debut into the boardroom? Do you then sift through pictures of
yourself and run to the nearest scanner to scan a picture of yourself, do you peruse
through pictures of yourself at wedding, cousin’s kitchen party/bridal shower
and hope against hope that you have “presentable” pictures to use? Or do
you send them that frightful “passport” photo of yourself (frightful they
are because they make one look more like a criminal…don’t know why
they don’t let us smile when taking a shoulder length picture). Life is
dynamic and may give you that break you’ve been waiting for and
you will not have been prepared. Be ready. Whether it’s
periodically updating your CV, having pictures where you
look professional and yet fashionable, stay on top your
game and BE READY!
21. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
From breathless to
full of
breath
By Towani Clarke
AS if it were yesterday, I remember sitting in Grade 4 staring blankly at the black board
trying to fight back the tears - another end of term maths test question that I didn’t know
the answer to. In my panic, I somehow remembered my mothers words, “Towani, take a
deep breath, count up to 5 and breath out. Keep doing that until you feel better”. Mum
was right, the slow deep breathing calmed me down enough to make it through the test.
Thanks to mums tips on how to stay calm and dads maths tuition I learned to pass and even
love maths. I also started learning about the relationship between my breathing and my
emotional state.
In a situation the body perceives as stress, in this case my maths test, the fight or flight
instinct kicks in. The adrenaline steroid is secreted into our bloodstream from the adrenal
glands above our kidneys, which in turn triggers shallow, fast and restricted breathing,
not very helpful during my test as neither fighting the teacher nor fleeing the room would
have been much help in passing my test. With repeated stress situations the body can
stay unnecessarily long, or even permanently, under the influence of the fight or flight
mechanism leading to ones breathing being permanently shallow and restricted.
22. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Effects of shallow breath
You might think, “So what if my breath is shallow – I’m still breathing”. Well, you
are still alive but not living at your optimum. Shallow breathing tends to happen
when we only use our chest to breathe. The lungs do not have any muscles of
their own and rely on the pressure of the lung cavity to inflate. The more the lung
cavity expands, the lower the pressure in the cavity and the more air can come into
the lungs. The problem is that the top and sides of the lung cavity are surrounded
by ribs which, although the muscles between the ribs can expand there to some
extent, there is a severe limit to expansion upwards and outwards. Therefore
breathing with only the chest, allows us to breath to a mere 30% of our capacity.
The result – an oxygen starved body. To avoid this the body makes the heart work
over time to pump blood fast enough round the body for it to get enough oxygen.
The only problem with this approach is that our blood pressure goes and the heart
over works. Around 80% of people breathe using only their chest – no wonder so
many people suffer from high blood pressure and heart problems!
Proper breathing
Now you might be asking yourself, “How do I know whether I am breathing with
only my chest?” and perhaps “How am I supposed to breathe any way?”. Babies
have the answer. If you look at a baby breathing, even if they are wailing at the top
of their lungs, you will notice that their stomach raises when they breathe in and
drops when they breathe out. In short, they use the strongest muscle in the body,
the diaphragm, at the bottom of the lung cavity. When we use the diaphragm
when breathing, as we breathe in the diaphragm pushes out gently the contents
of the abdomen.
Relearning to breathe
The good news is that we can relearn how to breathe properly and with enough
practice we can regain the habit of breathing deeply using our diaphragm and
reap the physical and emotional rewards. Nowhere, have I come across better
breathing exercises, than in the yogic tradition. Pranayama or breath control,
make up one of the eight limbs of Raja yoga path. One basic exercise I did with my
yoga instructor involved sitting (with legs crossed) and the palms of my hands on
my abdomen below the ribs. Then one inhales in such a way that ones abdomen
pushes out onto the palms of the hands and then sinks in again on the exhale.
More advanced breathing exercises work on learning on how to exhale completely
to help the body remove toxins. The chief toxin is carbon dioxide, a waste product
of respiration - the metabolic process of how living cells obtain energy through
the breakdown of carbon compounds.
In fact it is easy to forget how central breathing is to our lives, unless perhaps
you suffer from asthma or bronchitis. I recall several bouts of bronchitis as a child
when each breath was a strenuous effort, I was so tired of breathing and I just
wanted to take a rest. Unfortunately, the only rest from breathing is death. We
are born into this world with our first huge inhale and die with our last exhale.
Hopefully, we will have many breaths in between and if we are going to breath
better to make the breaths as effective, life giving and refreshing as possible.
Towani Clarke is a qualified Yoga Trained Teacher 200 hours yoga instructor with
yoga sessions at the following venues and times:
30 G Sable Rd, Kabulonga: Mon Wed Fri 17:30 to 18:30, Tue & Thu 12:45 to 13:45, Tue
& Fri 09:00 to 10:00
Body Temple Gym, Kingfisher Lodge, Central St, Jesmondine: Tue & Thu 18:45 to 19:45
Retail Therapy, Katima Mulilo Rd, Opp SDA Church, Olympia: Mon & Wed 12:45 to
13:45
23. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Musebu Sichula
Unlimited
Q&
A
THE Alchemy Women in Leadership (WiL) Network is not the only Network that we have. At
Alchemy we identify, through our Mentorship Programmes, groups which require extra and
specialised support in certain areas and create Networks for them. We have created a “Jobs
and Vacancies Alchemy Zambia” Face Book page targeted at our Future Leadership
Network, which are young people beginning their careers. It advertises vacancies as
well as gives advice on how they can enhance their chances of getting employment.
New entrants to the Zambian market have a huge challenge, where as most of the
developed economies are looking at single digit unemployment rates, Zambia has a
reputed 50% unemployment rate. Sending out a CV and hoping for the best is just not
enough. There are very few jobs in Zambia. Innovation and strategy is required.
I will always remember Margaret Thatcher, former British Prime Minister telling
people to ‘ get on your bike…’ She was referring to those areas where certain
industries had died and people were unemployed as a consequence. This
outraged people who had lived and worked for generations in certain areas and
who could not fathom ever leaving. Change is hard to accept. I admire those
people who recognize a change as it is happening and who make decisions now
which will allow them to capitalize on that change in the future. This is how I
view Musebu Sichula.
Musebu got on her bike and went to China. It is so obvious, China is well on
its way to becoming a super power and it is reported to have committed to
massive investments in Africa over the next decade. So obvious, but how
many of us have the foresight and courage to leave the cocoon of our
great nation to immerse ourselves in a culture and language so foreign
and so complex, even if the objective is to better position ourselves
for future opportunities? We need to become more strategic
and innovative in how we plan for our future and we need
to teach our future leaders likewise. We chose to feature
Musebu because I think we could all learn some lessons
in courage and strategy from her.
24. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Why China?!
China is a rapidly developing market and
is already an established economic super
power. Understanding the origins and key
components of the China economic success
story and learning how to work with Chinese
people and Chinese corporations will be an
essential business skill for all business people
in the future. This is particularly true for
business people from African nations as many
Chinese corporations are now active in our
consumer markets and the Chinese are also
key consumers of our natural resources. It is
essential to understand the nature, language
and culture of the people we are and will be
doing business with, otherwise we will lose
control of these relationships.
How did you arrive at this decision?
Having been in academia for just over 3
years I knew I wanted to do my PhD and in
International Finance or Economics. I saw a
bursary advert in the Times of Zambia for fully
paid scholarships to China or Russia and I felt
that this was something which would be of
great interest to me. I reflected deeply on why
I would like to round off my formal studies in
China and I came up with more positives and
compelling reasons to do this versus studying
elsewhere. I also like to think of myself as a
spiritual person and I felt that this move also
fitted into the plans which God has for me.
What were your first impressions of China?
Big, polluted and over populated and I
must admit unfriendly due to very stark
cultural difference as the language barrier.
That has changed having been here for just
over 20 months. I think that China is a very
interesting country with a rich culture and
some outstanding people with a totally new
concept of work ethic. As with all countries,
there are good and bad aspects to China. To
enjoy China you have to change your attitude
about so much and get over the initial stages
of adapting then from there, it becomes
easier.
What is your biggest learning from living
in China?
There are so many things I have learned in
this country, perhaps the largest is a phrase
I have coined called “Culture will always
defeat strategy”. What I mean by this is that
the key in communicating and motivating
people to achieve objectives involves so
much more than being simply being able to
translate these objectives from one language
to another. Rather it involves presenting an
idea in a manner which is culturally relevant
and is therefore compelling to the target
audience. For example, in China informal
communication is often as important as
formal communication. Informal business
communication is conducted through a
system called “Guanxi” which in Chinese
simply means communication via informal
relationships or connections. These
relationships have been often built through
family relatives and friends, or through high
school and university. The role of “Guanxi”
is often essential in conducting business
in China. A lack of understanding of the
importance of this informal communication
system, how to initiate it and how to deploy
it, will greatly complicate the implementation
of any corporate or business strategy in
China. It is very different to communication
in other markets, in China, the informal
plays almost a larger role in getting business
established and running smoothly. Many
foreign commentators believe that the
“Guanxi” system is simply a matter of taking
the right people to dinner in an organisation,
it is actually far more complex than that.
What personality traits do you need to
get to where you are? What makes you
powerful?
Strong spirituality that brings courage,
an appetite for adventure, ability to
adapt, constant need for change and self
improvement and generosity. I rely heavily on
my belief in God and his great plans for my
purpose. I am also a detail orientated person
and I am thorough in my studies.
Have you ever felt disadvantaged as a
woman?
I have been fortunate not to have felt that
my gender has ever been an issue in my
development. It is interesting to see in China
that women play a very significant role in the
workforce and in government. This is unlike
many other North Asian nations.
What challenges have you faced?
I have sometimes felt that I allow negative
experiences from the past overshadow and
influence my present and future decisions.
When I came to China I felt that I struggled
with the self confidence to drive my career
forward. I believe that self confidence and
determination are co-dependent and are
essential in achieving one’s goals. These
characteristics are very important when
studying abroad as it is really up to the
individual to achieve things. I feel that I have
much more self confidence now in my life
and in my study. I also felt very lonely for
my first few months in China. I missed my
family and friends, I missed my Church in
Lusaka, I missed the fresh air from home, I
missed the food, I felt very alone and I was
overcome by the culture shock. Through a
combination of prayer and also support from
new friends that I made in China, I gradually
overcame this great sense of loneliness.
This experience, while it was very difficult at
the time, has strengthened me as a person
overall. I also struggled in understanding
the huge differences between Chinese
people and people from Zambia. What
drives these two distinct groups of people
is very different. The Chinese are very much
focussed on the acquisition of wealth, there
are no religious beliefs to guide people from
a social perspective and therefore, there are
many elements of Zambian culture which
are absent in Chinese culture. In contrast, in
Zambian culture I feel we take a more holistic
view of success in life and place a greater
emphasis on individual and community
happiness and well being. I dedicated myself
to understanding why the Chinese people
act and think in the manner that they do as I
realized that if I am every going to be able to
work successfully with Chinese people and
Chinese corporations, I must first understand
the key influences which shape Chinese
personality, attitudes and beliefs.
What was your lowest point in your career?
Did you ever feel like giving up? What kept
you going, from where did you draw your
strength?
I spent time in the past working in a
corporation that I felt that I did not fit into.
In this instance I did give up and move on. I
will have to say that the first several months
in China were also a very difficult time for me
and I did consider giving up, however, I relied
heavily on my faith and I surrounded myself
with positive thinking friends. These two
things helped me through this difficulty time.
What advice do you have for other women?
What is your wish for other women?
We are not defined by anything in this world
but what we choose to define ourselves as.
Trust in the “you” to want better for yourself,
be daring don’t conform to the norm of any
situation, try to stand out not for anything but
your personality and talents.
I really wish more Zambian women can
25. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
stop conforming to our “Zambian scenario”
I wish we can be more adventurous and
step out of the box have our own dreams
for ourselves and not feel tied down to be a
normal Zambian woman...what is that really?
What business book has made the biggest
impact on you and the way you think?
“7 habits of highly effective people” by Steven
Covey. It taught me that they are actually
habits I can develop and undevelop.
What other book, not business, has made
the biggest impact on you and the way you
think?
“Purpose driven life” by Rick Warren. This
book transformed my soul and my spirit and
it made me realise that I was created for a
purpose.
People look at you and think you were
just privileged – your father is the famous
Max Sichula so they attribute a lot of your
success to that.
My father’s achievements are his own. I
need to carve out my own. He has always
emphasised this to us and encouraged us to
create our own networks and opportunities,
to be individuals and to be independent.
Because everyone wants and expects you to
be like him, it sometimes makes it very hard
to define yourself. This makes conforming
easy and changing very hard.
My father is a great role model for me.
He leads his life with pride in his heritage,
respect for others and great dignity. These
are some of the many positive values he has
instilled in me.
Do you consider yourself successful?
This is all dependent on the definition of
success and I feel that everyone’s definition
is and should be different. For me being
“successful” is not monetary based. It is
based on achieving in all aspects of my life.
By this I mean spiritually, socially, personally,
professionally and in the community. Too
often, people allow external parties to define
for them what success should be. You need
to know what you want from life to attain
your happiness.
Based on my definition of happiness
and my objectives and goals across all the
dimensions of my life, I think that I can say
that I am a work in progress. There are areas
of my life I feel very content with and I feel
I am successful in, there are other areas
which I feel I must work harder on. It is a
constant balancing act and it keeps me
very focussed on being a well rounded
individual.
The problem with the monetary
based definition of success is that you
may win the race by amassing great
wealth but in the process you can
lose your soul by neglecting the
other elements of your life which
are just as important as money.
Career Time line
(Career and Academic)
September 2008 to date Chinese language and PhD in
International Finance at Shanghai
University of Finance and Economics
in China
2005 December to 2008 September
Lecturer at Zambia Center for
Accountancy Studies (ZCAS)
2008
Lecturer in Finance and Economics
Long distance MBA for MANCOSA and
Regents business school from South
Africa
June 2003 –July 2004
Corporate Manager assistant at
Barclays Bank of Zambia
September 2001 May 2003 Bank Supervisor at Cavmont Merchant
Bank
Education
2005–2006
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Masters in Business Administration MBA
2001–1998
West Coast Institute of Management
and Technology
Lusaka, Zambia
BA in Business Administration
1996–1994
Zambia insurance
Business College Trust
Lusaka, Zambia
Certificate in banking
1995 -1998
City Banking College
London, UK
Pre –Associate ship of The Chartered
Institute of Bankers
26. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
EDITOR’S FAVOURITE SITES
Amazon because I love to read and love the accessibility of the books.
Google - you can find just about anything in the world on google.
Argos - no frills shopping (a girl’s got to shop). I have come
to hate shopping because it takes so much time, so i love the
convenience of looking up what i want and being able to
just buy it, no time wasted.
I love CNN Money - money is so difficult to get and
so easy to lose, so I look to the experts on how best to
save and invest my money.
27. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Alchemist of the month
The Alchemist of the Month section aims to profile past and future Alchemists who have mentored at the Alchemy Mentorship Sessions.
Saviour M.
Chibiya
SAVIOUR CHIBIYA is currently
the
Managing Director of Citibank Zambia
Limited, a position to which he was
appointed in October 2006. As the chief
executive officer, he heads the Management
Committees and is an executive member
of the Board of Directors. His preceding
appointments include Vice President &
Corporate Bank Head for Citibank Zambia
Ltd and Country Representative of Citibank
NA in Ghana.
In the 17 years he has spent in the financial
services sector he has performed various
roles in the Corporate & Investment Bank
of Citibank resulting in sound marketing,
business development, risk management
and general management experience.
Saviour is a trained Economist and also has
extensive banking product and industry
knowledge having received training in
Citibank Training Centers around the
world in varied banking products such as
Corporate Finance,Trade Finance, Structured
Trade Finance, Derivatives & Hedging, Asset
Based Finance, Foreign Exchange, Cash
Management and Electronic Banking. His
experience in these products cuts across
a wide customer base in diverse sectors
including mining, energy, manufacturing,
telecommunication, agriculture, trading,
Public and Financial sectors.
Saviour was elected as Chairman of the
Bankers Association of Zambia in December
2008. He also serves as a non-executive
director of others Boards including
Junior Achievement Zambia a non-profit
organization focusing on economic
education and developing entrepreneur
skills in youths.
28. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Alchemist of the month
always fascinating to talk to successful people or to read their
biographies.
When you graduated from university what did you want to
be? Did you think that you would be a CEO in the time frame
it took?
When I graduated from university I knew I wanted to have a
career in the financial sector and banking presented the best
opportunities at the time. Though it was a desirable objective, I
never focused on how long it would to take me to be a CEO. My
focus was learning as much as I could and being the best that I
could be.
Is there a book, movie, song, poem, saying or quote which has
changed your world view or has become your ‘war cry’?
Lots of books, movies, poems, sayings, quotes etc have influenced
my thinking and have applied depending on the situation I am
facing. I will share a few which have influenced me for a very long
time:
“If” by Rudyard Kipling
“Don’t Quit” - author unknown
“Serenity Prayer” by Reinhold Niebuhr
If you were to choose 5 deliberate actions or steps you took or
pivotal events that happened which brought you to this place
what would they be?
My belief that “Ability + Attitude + Action = Success” and prayer
to God that I have the right balance in these 3 “A”s in all the
important areas of my life.
A quote by Aristotle - “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence,
then, is not an act, but a habit”
If you could meet or be more like one person in the world
(living or not) who would that be and why? What qualities of
this person do you admire most?
I have not been inspired by one single person in this world
as I believe every human being has their own strengths and
weaknesses and we all have a unique personality which enable
us to have different talents and core competencies. It is always
inspiring for me to listen to different successful people and
learn from them whilst figuring out what I can emulate. It’s
What’s your passion?
Reading and Economics
∂
∞
∞
Art Deco Pieces
Unique Bedding &
Curtain Designs
∞
Room Accessories
What are your values?
Generally Christian values and specifically I value excellence
What are you reading now?
A book called “False Economy - A surprising economic history of
the world” by Alan Beattie.
Room Design
∂
Home Renovation
∂
Colour Schemes
∂
A Unique Reflection of
You in Your Home
∞ Custom Furniture
A quote by Charles Darwin - “It is not the strongest of species that
survives, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to
change”
Individualised Home Design
BDN Innovations
Tel: +260 977 925225 / 955 925225
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.bdninnovations.com
ONE FREE CONSULTATION WITH THIS ADVERT*
* No consultation fees billed on any final orders placed
29. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Monthly Survey
How Employees like
to be managed
Manager 1 - Usually makes his decisions promptly and communicates to his subordinates clearly.
Manager 2 - Usually makes his decisions promptly, but, before going ahead tries to explain fully to his subordinates.
Gives them the reason for the decisions and answers whatever questions they may have.
Manager 3 - Usually consults with his subordinates before he reaches his decision. He then expects all to work loyally to
implement it whether or not it is in accordance with the advice they gave.
Manager 4 - Usually calls a meeting of his subordinates when there is an important decision to be made.
Now for the above types of manager, please mark the
one which you would prefer to work under.
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Manager 1 M
anager 2 M
anager 3 M
anager 4
Biggest challenges facing
women in the workplace
• Worklife balance
• No support from other women
• Not being taken seriously
30. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
LAUNCH OF THE ALCHEMY
WOMEN
LEADERSHIP
IN
in pictures
NETWORK (WiL)
1
4
2
5
3
6
Main Picture L-R: Alchemist, Mizinga
Melu - MD, Standard Chartered Bank
during her presentation
Other pictures L-R:
1. Pamela Musonda - One of our
guests from the Copperbelt
2. Janice Maliwa-Chipenzi, ZK
Advertising & Kondwa SakalaChibiya, Lawyer/Partner KS &
Associates
3. Muchangwe Matanga-Ferrao,
Entreprenuer and Selina Mwale,
Laurence Paul Investment Services
Limited
4. Pixie Yangailo, Human Right
Commision Chairperson
5. Chanda Chime-Katongo, Standard
Chartered Bank & Yaza Kaira, Plan
International
6. Mizinga Melu
1
31. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
2
Main Picture: The Alchmey Team L-R
Rinnah Phiri, Chimango Chikwanda,
Miziyana Banda, Nampasa Kalikeka
3
4
5
Other pictures from top to bottom
1. Mizinga Melu chatting with
Kabinda Kawesha, Bank of Zambia
(L) and Weni Kabota-Chona,
Standard Chartered.
2. Chimango Chikwanda
3. L-R: Janice Maliwa-Chipenzi
chatting with Abigail
Madekerodzwa, Pioneer Dupont
Zambia & Yaza Kaira
4. Kondwa Chibiya making a
contribution
5. L-R: Faith Kobusingye, Barclays
Bank, Norena Chiteba, Finance
Bank & Jackie Jere-Folotiya, UNZA.
6. Abigail Madekerodzwa, Pioneer
Dupont
6
32. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Scholarships
for the month
African Women Public Service Fellowship
Wagner announces a call for applications for the African Women Public
Service Fellowship, a fellowship program made possible by a donation from
the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, which expands the opportunity for African
women to prepare for public service in their home countries. As fellows at
NYU Wagner, African women study in one of two graduate programs: the
two-year Master of Public Administration or the one-year Executive MPA:
Concentration on International Public Service Organisations.
Who Should Apply
To qualify for the Fellowship, prospective applicants must:
• meet the general admissions criteria stipulated
• be citizens and resident in an African country at the time of application.
• Particular attention is paid to applications from women who possess
strong academic records; who have a demonstrated commitment to
public service; and for whom a Wagner education would significantly
enhance their ability to have a deep and lasting impact on public
service issues in their home country and region.
For more information or to request an NYU Wagner viewbook, visit http://
wagner.nyu.edu/admissions/.
How to Apply
Please visit http://wagner.nyu.edu/admissions/application/ for details on
how to apply to NYU Wagner. There are not special forms or applications to
fill out to be considered for the African Women Public Service Fellowship. You
will automatically be considered for all scholarships, including the African
Women Public Service Fellowship.
Canon Collins Trust
General Scholarship Scheme
http://canoncollins.org.uk
Canon Collins Trust
22 The Ivories
6 Northampton St
London N1 2HY, UK
Canon Collins Trust provides scholarships to students from South Africa,
Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Angola
and Mozambique, who wish to pursue a Masters degree of either one
year in the UK, or postgraduate study in South Africa (including honours,
Masters and PhD level). .We occasionally nominate PhD students for the
Commonwealth Scholarships in the UK.
The UK scholarship programme is administered by the London Office.
Enquiries should be directed to this email address: [email protected]
The South Africa scholarship programme is administered by the Cape Town
office. Enquires should be directed to: CTO@[email protected]
The application process for study in South Africa is now open – please go
two website for application form and guidelines.
The Graça Machel Scholarship Programme
Canon Collins Trust currently manage a scholarship programme on behalf of
Mrs Graça Machel. The aim is to provide female students with scholarships
that will equip them to take up leadership roles for the benefit of their
community, nation and region.
Applications to study in the UK through the Graça Machel scheme can be
made on the standard UK application form and sent to the UK office.
Applications to study in South Africa through the Graça Machel scheme must
be made on the specific application form and sent to the UK office (NB this is
different from our standard scholarship scheme to study in South Africa, for
which applications should be sent to the South Africa office).
The application process for Graça Machel scholarships in South Africais now
open, please visit website for details and forms.
Distance Learning MBA Programme in Partnership with Edinburgh
Business School
Canon Collins Trust is partnering Edinburgh Business School to offer
scholarships for MBAs by distance learning. Applications for this programme
should be sent to our UK office. Unlike our other scholarships, these scheme
is open to students from all over sub-Saharan Africa. For more information
about this scheme and to access the application form, visit website.
Angus Sawise Scholarship
Each year SA WISE awards the Angus Scholarship, to a Sub-Saharan black
woman graduate with 70% or above grade average in her subject of study.
The scholarship is awarded for 1 year of tertiary study at Honours level (or
4th year level of study) in any field of science and engineering. South African
applicants will be given preference. The successful applicant should become
an active member of SAWISE.
Value p.a.: R10 000
How to apply
Please include with application:
• Curriculum Vitae with names of two referees
• One page motivation
• Name(s) of other bursaries/scholarships applied for and amount
Application deadline: 28 November annually
Send applications to:
SAWISE Scholarships committee
P O Box 34085
Rhodes Gift
7707
Enquiries:
Prof. Jacquie Greenberg
[email protected]
33. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
WIL
DIRECTORY
Company Name
Sector
Contact Details
Website/Email
Hair Bambino
Children’s Salon
0211 292564
[email protected]
Nguta Financial
Services
Finance
0978 960673
Sydney’s Bridal
Retail
0977 806149
http://thebestofzambia.com/lifestyle/
shopping-and-personal/shopping/
sydneys-elegant-bridal
Kuthuta Yoga
Wellness
0966 728911
[email protected]
Laurence Paul Financial
Investments
Financial Investments
0211 220302/3
www.laurencepaul.com
SpareLine Ltd
(vehicle parts)
0979 922104
[email protected]
P&S Party Aiders
Entertainment:
specialising in
organising Parties,
catering, provides
jumping castles,chairs
seat covers, tables,
crockery, chaffing
dishes & serving plates!
0955 / 0979 / 0965 595102
Timebridge Holdings
Retail / Business
brokerage/ Tour
packages
Timebridge Holdings, The
email: [email protected]
Business Centre, Design Quarter, www.timebridgeholdings.com
Leslie Ave. east, Fourways.
Johannesburg. South Africa.
Tel: + 27 11 513 3439,
Fax + 27 86 500 5339,
Cell + 27 76 237 6731
BDN Innovations
Limited
Real Estate, Interior
Decorating
0966 925225 / 0977 925225
www.bdninnovations.com
Sydney’s Elegant Bridal Trousseau
0977-806149, 0977-795610 and 0978-377956
[email protected]
http://thebestofzambia.com/lifestyle/shopping-and-personal/shopping/sydneys-elegant-bridal
In-stock wedding
dresses for hire or
purchase.
Wide selection of
+400 wedding and
bridesmaids
dresses in white
cream, ivory and
95 colour palettes.
Orders to be
placed at a
minimum of 4
months before the
wedding day.
Captivating
Creating beautiful
memories for your
special day!
33. WIL NEWSLETTER Edition 02
Classifieds
Send and email to advertise
your products and services.
[email protected]
re
he
d
a
r
You
re
he
r ad
You
re
he
d
a
r
You
Alchemy HR Solutions
Email [email protected] for
membership application form.
Contact us on: Tel +260 211 236898
Mobile +260 97 7770805
http://twitter.com/alchemyzambia
Website: www.alchemyhr.com
ere
Yo
dh
ur a
ALCHEMISTS
NETWORK
Alchemy HR
Solutions Ltd.
MEMBERSHIP FORM
(VAT REG No. 10312928/13)
Title
First name
Surname
Email address
Postal Address
Company
Position/Job Title
Contact number
MODE OF PAYMENT:
By Bank Transfer to:
Account name: Alchemy Human Resource Solutions Ltd
Bank: Stanbic Bank
Account No: 0140053553401
Branch: Industrial Branch
Cash or cheque payable to:
Alchemy Human Resource Solutions Ltd
Signature:
Date:
For further information, please visit our website www.alchemyhr.com or call us on 0211 236898 or 0977 770805 or
email us at [email protected]. You can also visit us at: 2nd Floor Design House, Cairo Road (Opp Post Office)
GROUP DISCOUNTS & TEAM
DISCOUNTS
These are available for groups of 3 or
more – register 3 people and the 3rd
gets a 50% discount. To take advantage
of this please call us.
REFUNDS:
All payments are
non refundable or
transferable.
FEE:
K500,000/quarter for Network
K450,000 for Session only
PAYMENTS:
Please ensure to retain
proof of payment to avoid
inconvenience.
WOMEN
LEADERSHIP
IN
NETWORK (WiL)
Alchemy
Mentorship
Programme
We would love to hear from you...what do you think about
this edition of the WiL Newsletter? Is there any article
that you would like to see in our future edition? Send all
comments & contributions to [email protected]