Technology for Women in Business (TWIB), an initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), is a national programme that facilitates access to science and technology for business women in order to accelerate business growth through partnerships, education, training and mentoring. It was established with the objective of moving women in business from the periphery to the mainstream of the economy through the use of technology.
“TWIB is searching for enterprising South African business women whom we can honour for their extraordinary achievements and contribution towards the enhancement and accessibility of science and technology through innovative methods in their operations to enhance production. Since in inception, TWIB has given hundreds of women the opportunity to apply technology to support and grow their businesses and explore fully the potential of their individual enterprises’, says Thabethe.
Thabethe adds that in order to ensure that nominees are drawn from all parts of South Africa; the department will be embarking on a national roadshow that will begin in Rustenburg and Mafikeng in the North West province on 25 July and finish in George in the Western Cape on 5 August.
Two members of the adjudication panel, which comprises of established and successful business women, will address interested business women participating at each workshop.
According to the Head of Gender and Women Empowerment at the dti, Ms Bongi Ludidi, businesswomen in all sectors of the South African economy are eligible to enter for the Awards, as long as they are applying some enterprising technological innovations which assist them to increase their production capacity and enhance the quality of their products.
“The criteria include that the nominee’s enterprise must be a formally registered company owned and managed by a woman, or 60% owned by a woman, must demonstrate diffusion of technology, be a profit-making enterprise, and must have existed for two or more years,” says Ludidi.
The closing date for nominations is 10 August 2011. The national 2011 TWIB Awards winner will be crowned by Deputy Minister Thabethe at a glittering ceremony that will take place in Bloemfontein in October, where finalists in the Small, Micro and Medium categories will be vying for top honours.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe
Tel: 012 394 1650
Cell: 079 4921774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
Source: Department of Trade and Industry
Deputy Minister Thabethe calls for business women to enter for the 2011 Technology for Women in Business (TWIB) Awards
