Women and girls have been encouraged to pursue their passion in career and business, and strive to always do their best in all their endeavours. After all, women and girls have what it takes to make the best of the opportunities presented to them and can excel by investing in themselves, tapping into their networks and forging healthy friendships with other women who share the same love for God, business and personal development.

This was reiterated at the 4th annual Women and Girls gathering dubbed Spiritual Business held in Gaborone this past Saturday.

Organiser of the event, Cassie Paul decided to start these sessions a few years ago following her own interactions with other like-minded women and girls and realising that there is need for sessions that focus on personal development and encouraging women to transition to being the best version of themselves.

“I grew up with a single mother and she positively affirmed me and encouraged me to always be true to myself and strive to pursue my passion and be confident.

“I also have a colourful personality that attracted different people to me and that is how I made wonderful friends. We would often come together to share ideas, talk about the word of God and study the Bible together and also motivate each other. I then decided to start Conversations with Cassie in order to share advice with other women.”

This then grew to hosting seminars and Cassie brought together musicians, artists and business people - different people from her network to inspire others.

Through this platform she wants women and girls to come together to share ideas, develop their ideas and also forge new relationships with women who are just as ambitious. “Women and girls need to be reminded that they are enough and be inspired to reach their full potential. There are so many spaces that women can occupy in business and succeed,” she said.

Speaker Millicent Fulu, who is the wife to Pastor Fulu of Jwaneng Apostolic Faith Mission Church and also a businesswoman, encouraged the attendants to strive to always put God in everything that they do.

Fulu explained that spirituality is central to people’s existence and faith is the crutch. She said God should be placed first in business and relationships in order to advance and grow in all spheres of life.

Fulu is also a counsellor on drugs and HIV, and a youth mentor in women’s ministry leader of the Sisters Secretary AFM Botswana. Another speaker, Thelma Keletso Senwelo, Director of Energetic Marketing Solutions which runs franchises for Crack It tuition centres across Botswana, and is also a property mogul in the making, encouraged women and girls to appreciate humble beginnings and be consistent in toiling to eke a living and make their dreams come true.

She encouraged women to work hard to make their dreams come true. “I am a living example of this because I started off with nothing but ambition and a hunger to achieve my dreams,” she said.

Senwelo shared how she started off selling sweets, cool drinks and airtime along the road and slowly grew from there to establish other business ventures.

She also managed to complete a BSc in Computing from Botho University and short courses on property development and investment as well as Executive speech coaching. Senwelo highlighted the importance of connecting with kind and supportive people who want to see you succeed.

“I have propelled through tapping into good networks and associating with the right type of people who believe in and support me,” she said.

Senwelo encouraged women in attendance to strive to emulate the Proverbs 31 woman depicted in the Bible. “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” She said that many women do noble things, but you surpass them all as a woman if you believe in and trust in God and also make effort to achieve your goals.