Stories of Change: Young women in local government

The Connecting the Dots project has established four ComWLG networks specifically for young women, involving 200 women aged 35 and under, in the four target countries. The project has been facilitating mentorship and training for young women to educate them on women’s rights, looking at how they can change insensitive and discriminatory practices, to empower them to take up leadership positions within local government, and to understand how local government can be a driver of change in local economic development.

“Society has forced us to believe that we can’t take on roles and responsibilities, so now I know I have a purpose and can continue to inspire other young women.This programme has given me self-affirmation.”

                               Cllr Lesley Way, Mayor of Siteki Municipality, Eswatini        

These are the stories from some of the young women who have been involved in the project and how they have used their involvement to help make changes in society.

Eswatini

Becoming a successful leader
Having joined local government from the private sector, Mandisa Mthimkhulu, a young HR administrator with Mbabane Municipal Council, has learned a lot about the workings of local government as a result of her involvement in the Connecting the Dots project. Thanks to her mentor, Mandisa has learned how to lead a team, despite her young age, and has changed the way she is doing her job. 
read more…

Confidence and inspiration
Following her studies in office management and technology, Colisile Dlamini from Hlatikulu, Eswatini, joined the Connecting the Dots project to increase her skills and career prospects. The leadership skills and new self-confidence she has gained thanks to her mentor have changed the way she reacts to situations and inspired her to stand to become a councillor in future local elections.
read more…

A strong voice and role model for women
Cllr Lesley Way, Mayor of Siteki Municipality, Eswatini, was 23 when she first became a councillor. After being content to be on the back benches for nine years, Lesley’s experience as a mentor as part the Connecting the Dots Projects project made her realise that she had a lot more to offer. It gave her the courage to stand and be elected as mayor from where she has gone from strength to strength. She is now a representative on the board of SWALGA and deputy chair of the national mayors association AMICAALL.
read more…

Tebetsutfu’s successful transition
Having the support of a mentor has helped Tebesutfu Nkhambule to navigate the hectic and stressful transition from working for Ezulini to working for Malkerns Town Council. With the support she received, not only has she put together a proposal for a food bank for her old council, but she is now part of the Markens Town Board, where she intends to drive forward new projects to enhance the town’s facilities. The experience has given Tebesutfu the confidence that she can go even further and achieve her goal of being an auditor. 
read more…

Zambia

Fighting for women’s rights
Joanias Chanda is a student with a passion for advocating women’s rights and promoting change to encourage women’s greater participation in society and politics and taking action to combat issues such as gender-based violence, early marriage and sexual harassment. Participating in the Connecting the Dots project has enabled her to better focus and target her work with community groups and use the right channels to get her message across. 
read more...

Encouraging young people to participate in politics
Still under 30 herself, Kaswela Mwamba has considerable experience in local government and development and is passionate about local government, youth and gender. Now elected as Chair of the Young Women in Local Government Network, she is a key figure in motivating other young people to get involved in local government and take up leadership roles. 
read more...

Closing the digital gender gap
Sharon Mwape, a 21 year old university student, was inspired by the Connecting the Dots project to help encourage more young women learn about information technology and to pursue careers in IT as well as using social media as a platform to have their voice heard.
read more…

Regaining self-esteem
Divorced at 26 after surviving an abusive relationship, joining in the Young Women in Local Government Network as a GBV survivor has helped Keren Bupe Tembo, a project coordinator with and international NGO, to get back her self-confidence and belief in herself, ready to take more charge of her life.
read more…

A voice for young people
When Thokozile Kapembwa, an environmental planner, joined Rufunsa District Council she saw that young people did not have any say and there were no avenues to encourage young people to get involved in local governance. The new skills she has learned through the Connecting the Dots project has helped her find her voice and become an advocate for young people, introducing a programme to include young people and set up a junior council with a junior mayor that has become a model for other districts.
read more…

More access to menstrual items for girls in Mpongwe
Meeting with like-minded people through the Connecting the Dots project, and hearing about British MP Jo Cox’s fight for women’s rights, has inspired human resources officer Tina Zulu to found an NGO to make menstrual products more accessible for women in Zambia, especially for girls in rural communities who often miss school because of lack of menstrual products.
read more…