International Women’s Day Interview with Chilufya Siansagu

Chilufya Siansangu is Head of Enterprise Growth/ Advertising and marketing and Communications for EFC Zambia. Her position includes driving enterprise progress by figuring out alternatives, monitoring new markets, strategic partnerships, and constructing sustainable consumer relationships. She has a variety of tasks for increasing EFC Zambia’s buyer base. She lately attended the World Schooling Finance Convention, hosted by Alternative Worldwide EduFinance and was in a position to share a variety of views on constructing training finance merchandise and shoppers.

For Worldwide Ladies’s Day 2023 we spoke with Chilufya about her personal expertise of training and tips on how to create higher alternatives for educating girls and women.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT YOUR ROLE?

What I get pleasure from is that it cuts throughout all enterprise capabilities and likewise includes consumer relationships, onboarding new shoppers, and sustaining present ones. I get pleasure from that lots as a result of clearly in any enterprise should you do not maintain shoppers then clearly you might be headed for closure.

It is gratifying to see small and medium companies develop and to see {that a} enterprise can really make use of different individuals who additionally take care of households and enhance their livelihoods.

THIS YEAR’S INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY HAS THE THEME ‘EMBRACE EQUITY, A WORLD FREE OF BIAS, STEREOTYPES, AND DISCRIMINATION.’ WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT?

I believe it is a sensible theme. Before everything, it does seize the challenges that ladies face. It highlights the significance of recognizing and addressing the systemic limitations that stop girls from reaching their full potential.

It emphasizes the necessity to problem present stereotypes, beliefs and attitudes in the direction of girls – within the Zambian group, there’s a stereotype {that a} lady just isn’t presupposed to be educated, the lady is meant to are likely to their youngsters and do the home tasks, whereas the person goes on the market to work and excel in his profession.

But it surely’s not like we will not. We’re very a lot ready, it is simply these stereotypes that we have to recover from for us to understand our full potential. I believe the battle continues, however I believe with all of the consolidated efforts, the celebration of girls. I believe we’re on the precise path and we must always not cease.

WHY DO YOU THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO INVEST IN EDUCATION?

The training agenda is basically huge for me. The purpose we’re lacking these days, I believe most younger folks, simply need to be schooled and never educated. Schooling has to transcend, it has to vary conduct, it has to vary the entire being, and there should be some transformation.

I’d point out that training is an equalizer, particularly in our communities. It’s very, essential that we put money into training.

Once we put money into training that encompasses the training of girls and women it modifications the narrative as a result of there’s financial progress. And by investing in training, people can purchase expertise and information wanted to safe a greater future, and better-paying jobs. At EFC that is our core enterprise. We’re an enterprise lending establishment and with training, you possibly can create higher entrepreneurs.

WHAT WAS YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE OF EDUCATION?

Once I was 2.5 years, I used to be concerned in an accident, and I used to be badly burnt. When my father took me to the hospital, the medical doctors mentioned, ‘no, this lady just isn’t going to make it, begin arranging for a funeral’. And you do not inform a mother or father that. My father mentioned, ‘I need you to see her earlier than you begin making these conclusions as a result of I imagine she’s going to be okay.’

My father was very prayerful. I began therapeutic which shocked the medical doctors as a result of the burns had been deep. After realizing that I used to be therapeutic, they did inform my dad and mom ‘Look, sure, she’s healed, however she’s going to have a studying incapacity. She wants particular training. She will be unable to manage like different youngsters at school.’

I spent years within the hospital and my father was very decided that I used to be going to get a traditional training. Finally, I began college and he used to inform me ‘In opposition to all odds, you are going to be sensible.’

Though I began my first grade a 12 months late, I turned so good that I skipped a grade. I used to be in a position to meet up with my mates and once I completed my O-Ranges, I gained a scholarship to review for the Worldwide Baccalaureate at Hastings Faculty in England. I used to recollect my dad and mom’ help, and I gained awards together with the perfect scholar.

Subsequent, I used to be awarded a scholarship to Princeton College in America, however I could not attend because the scholarship was solely 50%, and I could not afford the opposite 50%. So, I made a decision to self-sponsor myself in England, I did accountancy on the London Faculty of Accountancy. I used to do part-time work in Hastings in a care dwelling earlier than I returned dwelling.

I at all times encourage the ladies I work with and inform them that due to training, I have been in a position to assist my dad and mom, my household, and the those who observe me. It doesn’t matter what anyone says, you are able to do it should you imagine in it, and training has lots to do with that.

WHY DOES IT MATTER TO EDUCATE GIRLS?

As soon as we empower women and assist to advertise gender equality, we’re doing extra for the economic system than we might think about. It goes past regular residing, it contains enhancing their well being, and careers. With out correct training, it is fairly tough to get very far in life.

There’s additionally the side of financial progress. Educated women usually tend to enter the workforce. Once I’m collaborating in interviews, I discovered that women are doing significantly better at school than boys, as a result of they’re extra centered. When it comes to decreasing poverty in our communities, when now we have extra educated women, households usually tend to profit.

WHAT CHALLENGES ARE HOLDING GIRLS BACK FROM GETTING AN EDUCATION IN ZAMBIA?

There are fairly a couple of causes which can be holding again women from getting educated and this features a lack of entry to the right training infrastructure. We now have conditions the place women within the village should stroll miles and miles to get to a college. Generally dad and mom themselves decide to have their boys educated versus their women, due to the safety considerations that include lengthy distances. Many dad and mom choose to have their boys be educated over their women, as boys are often those they assume should ‘feed the household’.

One other situation is gender-based violence. Some women do expertise sexual harassment, bodily violence, and verbal abuse in school which suggests it may be safer for them to remain dwelling.

I believe the narrative is altering now, however we want extra position fashions, extra feminine lecturers, extra feminine CEOS, and extra feminine medical doctors. I believe it is a essential job for girls which can be already in profitable positions, to encourage these younger women to get a correct training.

WHAT CHANGES DO YOU THINK COULD HELP GIRLS IN ZAMBIA?

There are nonetheless points with sanitation services equivalent to an absence of unpolluted water. Women want services to have the ability to maintain themselves correctly throughout their intervals.

Implementing normal insurance policies to help women extra, can even assist lots. There are non-governmental organizations which can be very vocal about supporting women. They’re serving to, however I believe there’s extra to be achieved on the governmental degree.

At EFC now we have monetary merchandise that may assist communities, as now we have discovered that many households can not afford to pay exorbitant college charges. By way of these merchandise, now we have discovered that women can enroll in faculties and entry training, as we help faculties as a monetary establishment.

Schooling is essential, Nelson Mandela mentioned, ‘training is essentially the most highly effective weapon you should use to vary the world’.

For me, it is a reminder that true training wants to vary conduct. It isn’t nearly having levels. What’s key’s what has training achieved for you by way of conduct and what’s it that you just’re in a position to do higher that you just could not do with out that training.