Worldwide Ladies’s Day Interview with Chilufya Siansagu

Chilufya Siansangu is Head of Enterprise Improvement/ Advertising and marketing and Communications for EFC Zambia. Her function includes driving enterprise development by figuring out alternatives, monitoring new markets, strategic partnerships, and constructing sustainable shopper relationships. She has a variety of duties for increasing EFC Zambia’s buyer base. She just 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 schooling finance merchandise and shoppers.

For Worldwide Ladies’s Day 2023 we spoke with Chilufya about her personal expertise of schooling and the right way to create higher alternatives for educating ladies and ladies.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT YOUR ROLE?

What I take pleasure in is that it cuts throughout all enterprise capabilities and in addition includes shopper relationships, onboarding new shoppers, and sustaining current ones. I take pleasure in 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 feel it is a sensible theme. At first, it does seize the challenges that ladies face. It highlights the significance of recognizing and addressing the systemic boundaries that stop ladies from reaching their full potential.

It emphasizes the necessity to problem current stereotypes, beliefs and attitudes in the direction of ladies – within the Zambian group, there’s a stereotype {that a} girl will not be alleged to be educated, the lady is meant to are likely to their kids and do the home tasks, whereas the person goes on the market to work and excel in his profession.

Nevertheless it’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 appreciate our full potential. I feel the wrestle continues, however I feel with all of the consolidated efforts, the celebration of ladies. I feel we’re on the correct path and we should always not cease.

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

The schooling agenda is admittedly large for me. The purpose we’re lacking these days, I feel most younger folks, simply need 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 might point out that schooling is an equalizer, particularly in our communities. It’s very, crucial that we put money into schooling.

After we put money into schooling that encompasses the schooling of ladies and ladies it modifications the narrative as a result of there’s financial development. And by investing in schooling, people can purchase abilities and data 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 docs stated, ‘no, this lady will not be going to make it, begin arranging for a funeral’. And you do not inform a mum or dad that. My father stated, ‘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 docs as a result of the burns had 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 kids 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 faculty and he used to inform me ‘Towards all odds, you are going to be sensible.’

Despite the fact that I began my first grade a 12 months late, I grew to become so good that I skipped a grade. I used to be in a position to meet up with my associates and after I completed my O-Ranges, I received a scholarship to review for the Worldwide Baccalaureate at Hastings Faculty in England. I used to recollect my mother and father’ assist, and I received awards together with the most effective 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 folks that comply with me. It doesn’t matter what anyone says, you are able to do it should you imagine in it, and schooling has lots to do with that.

WHY DOES IT MATTER TO EDUCATE GIRLS?

As soon as we empower ladies and assist to advertise gender equality, we’re doing extra for the economic system than we may 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 development. Educated ladies usually tend to enter the workforce. Once I’m collaborating in interviews, I discovered that ladies are doing significantly better in class than boys, as a result of they’re extra centered. When it comes to lowering poverty in our communities, when now we have extra educated ladies, households usually tend to profit.

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

There are fairly a number of causes which can be holding again ladies from getting educated and this features a lack of entry to the right schooling infrastructure. We have now conditions the place ladies within the village should stroll miles and miles to get to a faculty. Typically mother and father themselves decide to have their boys educated versus their ladies, due to the safety issues that include lengthy distances. Many mother and father choose to have their boys be educated over their ladies, as boys are normally those they assume should ‘feed the household’.

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

I feel the narrative is altering now, however we want extra function fashions, extra feminine lecturers, extra feminine CEOS, and extra feminine docs. I feel this can be a crucial job for girls which can be already in profitable positions, to encourage these younger ladies to get a correct schooling.

WHAT CHANGES DO YOU THINK COULD HELP GIRLS IN ZAMBIA?

There are nonetheless points with sanitation amenities akin to a scarcity of unpolluted water. Ladies want amenities to have the ability to maintain themselves correctly throughout their durations.

Implementing basic insurance policies to assist ladies extra, also can assist lots. There are non-governmental organizations which can be very vocal about supporting ladies. They’re serving to, however I feel 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 faculty charges. Via these merchandise, now we have discovered that ladies can enroll in faculties and entry schooling, as we assist faculties as a monetary establishment.

Schooling is essential, Nelson Mandela stated, ‘schooling is essentially the most highly effective weapon you should utilize 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’s what has schooling achieved for you by way of conduct and what’s it that you simply’re in a position to do higher that you simply could not do with out that schooling.