My name is Inota Cheta. I am a co-founder of She Entrepreneur a social enterprise that promotes financial literacy and entrepreneurship among girls in secondary school and tertiary education.

-Current Job

I work full time at a Chamber of Commerce as a Business Development Officer.

-Education

I graduated from the University of Zambia in 2015 with a BA Economics and Statistics. I am currently pursuing an MSc in Economics and Finance.

-First Job

Business Development Assistant at an international chamber of commerce located in Zambia

-Necessary Luxury

A good bottle of perfume particularly floral and fruity fragrances.

-Your Passion

I am passionate about imparting knowledge in females with regard to financial education and business. My approach is also to use practical lessons and activities. I believe with the right tools females can build and grow sustainable enterprises that can significantly contribute to economic growth and can reduce unemployment on the African continent.

 

WHAT FUELS ME?

Hope – Relates to my vision of the future. Whatever situation one might currently face, there is hope for the future.

 

Imagination – I believe imagination is an unlimited resource everyone possesses. It is imagination that drives innovation and enterprises.

 

Tenacious – Whenever tribulations come my way I always try to remember the end goal of whatever I have set out to do. I hold firm to the goal so that current situations do not obstruct me.

 

MY GREATEST INFLUENCE:

No doubt my family. My parents are very hardworking and strived to provide us with what we needed growing up. My siblings have always been supportive, cheering me on and encouraging me at all times.

 

MY TOP THREE ROLE MODELS:

Wow. I have a number but if I had to narrow them down my first role models were my parents. My father worked so hard for us and my mother was the ideal mother, very caring and nurturing.

 

IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS…..

I am privileged to have goal-oriented friends so our conversations unconsciously turn into informal goal tracking discussions full of laughter and banter. I envision a world with increased access to personal finance and entrepreneurship education especially for female pupils in secondary school and tertiary education students.

 

THE AFRICAN WOMAN’S CHALLENGE:

The African woman in business must deal with how to run her enterprise effectively with the little know how she has acquired. While she might have plans to expand her business, access to finance possess a huge challenge though now a few financial institutions  now have encompassed women financing schemes. The Enkindle program under She Entrepreneur focuses on financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Through the program females are taught conventional and non conventional methods of raising capital, business management and also very important is a focus on personal finance.

 

WHAT I DO TO RELAX:

 

I love to unwind by listening to music, reading and exercising.

 

MY   –   I.C.E. [INSPIRE|CELEBRATE|EMPOWER] VISION

The population ratio indicates a higher population of females compared to males on the Africa continent. The same statistics show that African women face higher levels of deprivation. African women though not in formal employment conduct cardinal roles and work long unpaid hours doing housework though rarely applauded. The African woman’s hard work and sacrifice has borne unsuccessful leaders and the work of her hands must be celebrated.

 

MY AFRICAN UNION PLANS:

I would love to work towards promoting financial education among females particularly those in rural areas. I would also love to work towards promoting programs that would reduce child marriages and teenage pregnancies.

 

FINAL WORDS OF ADVICE:

 My first advice would be: be the best you can be in whatever task assigned to you.

Secondly, borrowing from Sheryl Sandbery – Take a seat at the table