“VAN” (Shingirai Vambe – Zimbabwe) :: The Zimbabwe national Chamber of Commerce Held its annual women’s Conference (The Women’s Desk) in the capital yesterday. The programme which was set to mobilise and motivate women in business, those doing poultry, hot culture and farming participated at the event having few of them being given awards for their great work they are doing as women in business. This was a national event which saw women from as far as Victoria Falls, Bulawayo, and Mutare to mention just a few coming to learn from other female business players. The guest and keynote speaker at the event Jean Chawapiwa, the Country Director for WE CONNECT INTERNATIONALSouth Africa spoke after the official opening was made by the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce Honourable ChiratidzoMabuwa. Jeanmotivated women to think big removing their jackets of fear to get into the international markets. Women in business from our neighbouring countries were also present participating and sharing ideas on how to improve and or increase their network in the export markets, various Zncc member shared the platform sharing their life and business experiences these include the founder of MotherTouch Group of Schools, Salome Mutsinze and Molly Mupfunya, of Milestone Group Of schoolwho during the conference felt challenged wanting to go back to their communities and get other women including girls helping them to be creative and work with their hands through the support of the Zncc, amongst the women some are in mining and others in manufacturing of detergents supplying big supermarkets in Zimbabwe. The row of the Zncc is to facilitate for networks and markets says the President, Divine Ndhlukula. The RBZ reiterated on how there are conducting the loans facilities through the bank such as the MBCA, CBZ of their 90 million fund facility, funding women enterprises. After the conference The Chamber of commerce hosted a dinner and awards winning ceremony which saw various business experts getting awards of business achievements, in her opening remarks the President for Zimbabwe Chamber Of Commerce Divine Ndhlukula said “women empowerment is about giving a woman permission to unleash their giftedness, their passion and their talents, giving a blow to poverty” there present was the Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development Honourable NyashaE.Chikwinya who during her presentation edged women to manufacture and penetrate the export market to bring in foreign currency.