Worldwide Ladies’s Day Interview with Chilufya Siansagu

Chilufya Siansangu is Head of Enterprise Improvement/ Advertising and marketing and Communications for EFC Zambia. Her position entails driving enterprise progress by figuring out alternatives, monitoring new markets, strategic partnerships, and constructing sustainable shopper relationships. She has a variety of obligations for increasing EFC Zambia’s buyer base. She not too long ago attended the International Schooling Finance Convention, hosted by Alternative Worldwide EduFinance and was in a position to share a variety of views on constructing schooling finance merchandise and shoppers.

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

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT YOUR ROLE?

What I take pleasure in is that it cuts throughout all enterprise capabilities and in addition entails shopper relationships, onboarding new shoppers, and sustaining current ones. I take pleasure in that lots as a result of clearly in any enterprise in the event you do not deal with 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. At first, it does seize the challenges that girls face. It highlights the significance of recognizing and addressing the systemic limitations that stop ladies from reaching their full potential.

It emphasizes the necessity to problem current stereotypes, beliefs and attitudes in direction of ladies – within the Zambian neighborhood, there’s a stereotype {that a} lady will not be purported 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 in a position, it is simply these stereotypes that we have to recover from for us to comprehend our full potential. I believe the battle continues, however I believe with all of the consolidated efforts, the celebration of ladies. I believe we’re on the appropriate path and we should always not cease.

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

The schooling agenda is absolutely huge for me. The purpose we’re lacking these days, I believe most younger folks, simply wish to be schooled and never educated. Schooling has to transcend, it has to alter conduct, it has to alter the entire being, and there have to be some transformation.

I’d point out that schooling is an equalizer, particularly in our communities. It’s very, essential that we spend money on schooling.

After we spend money on schooling that encompasses the schooling of ladies and women it adjustments the narrative as a result of there’s financial progress. And by investing in schooling, 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 schooling, you may 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 will not be going to make it, begin arranging for a funeral’. And you do not inform a father or mother that. My father mentioned, ‘I would like 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 have been deep. After realizing that I used to be therapeutic, they did inform my mother and father ‘Look, sure, she’s healed, however she’s going to have a studying incapacity. She wants particular schooling. She won’t be able to manage like different youngsters in class.’

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

Although 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 after 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 mother and father’ assist, 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 College of Accountancy. I used to do part-time work in Hastings in a care residence earlier than I returned residence.

I all the time encourage the ladies I work with and inform them that due to schooling, I have been in a position to assist my mother and father, my household, and the those who comply with me. It doesn’t matter what anyone says, you are able to do it in the event you imagine in it, and schooling 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 dwelling, it consists of bettering their well being, and careers. With out correct schooling, 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 participating in interviews, I discovered that women are doing significantly better in class than boys, as a result of they’re extra targeted. When it comes to decreasing poverty in our communities, when we have now 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 are holding again women from getting educated and this features a lack of entry to the right schooling infrastructure. We have now conditions the place women within the village should stroll miles and miles to get to a faculty. Generally mother and father themselves choose to have their boys educated versus their women, due to the safety considerations that include lengthy distances. Many mother and father choose to have their boys be educated over their women, as boys are often those they assume should ‘feed the household’.

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

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

WHAT CHANGES DO YOU THINK COULD HELP GIRLS IN ZAMBIA?

There are nonetheless points with sanitation amenities equivalent to a scarcity of unpolluted water. Women want amenities to have the ability to deal with themselves correctly throughout their intervals.

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

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

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

For me, this can be a reminder that true schooling wants to alter conduct. It isn’t nearly having levels. What’s secret is what has schooling executed 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 schooling.