A presentation on how women can position themselves to converse and respond intelligently for leadership and nation building

1. Women responding
with intelligence
28 OCTOBER 2015, MEIKLES HOTEL,
HARARE, ZIMBABWE
Presentation by Cynthia Hakutangwi
(Communications and Personal Development Consultant)

2. Presenter’s Profile – Cynthia Hakutangwi
 A Communications and Personal
Development Consultant, Transformation
Activist, Life Coach, Author, and Strategist.
 Has worked extensively in human resource
development, marketing, research, strategy
design, and organisational structuring.
 Has developed and facilitated various
programmes in business skills, personal and
transformational leadership development.
 A contributing writer for lifestyle, wellness and
leadership related publications.
 Film productions include THE EXTRA MILE
and Intelligent Conversations TV series
 Her published book titles include “The Whole
You – Vital Keys for Balanced Living,”
“Intelligent Conversations: A mindset shift
towards a developed Africa” and co-
author of Success Within Reach
 Cynthia is married with four children.

3. “Respond intelligently
even to unintelligent
treatment.” (Lao Tzu)

4. What is the Problem?
 In Africa, a greater percentage of the total African
population consists of women and female children.
 Unfortunately, two-thirds of the women population is
illiterate. In addition, the world percentage of women
in parliament is currently less than 20%.
 From all indications, women form a dominant part of
the global society yet their involvement in societal
and global affairs is quite limited as compared to the
participation of their male counterparts.

5. Africa’s greatest untapped resource
“Women and girls are Africa’s greatest untapped
resource, and it is they, not diamonds or oil and
minerals, that will be the foundation for solid,
sustainable and equitable progress. Health and
development experts, economists, non-
governmental organisations, UN agencies and even
banks agree that expanding the freedoms, the
education and opportunities for women holds the
key to kick-starting inclusive economic growth. This
is true the world over, and particularly true for
Africa…”
Excerpt from an article Written by Joaquim Chissano

6. Incubate, Nourish and Amplify
 Women were not created as an afterthought, but were
deliberately created on purpose to exercise the dominion
mandate given to mankind by their creator
 Women were born with the innate ability to not only
reproduce but to incubate, nourish and amplify ideas.
 From the various Queens of Ethiopia to the traditional
Queen Mothers, to political leaders, women leaders in
Africa have gone to great lengths to defend the rights of
their people and to facilitate development.
 Deliberate efforts should therefore be made therefore to
develop the leadership capacities of women from a young
age to enable them to engage in positive nation building.

7. Where are the nation builders?
 Given the current state of most African nations,
it is critical that its citizens take the initiative to
restore the dignity of the continent.
 Our greatest need is for a rise in nation-builders
 Nation-builders ensure better governance as a
result of their regular probing and critical thinking.

8. The pivotal role of women in Africa’s development
 How do we unleash Africa's full potential to the place
where she can adequately nourish the present
generation and sustainably create wealth for
generations unborn to time?
 Sustainable trans-generational solutions are a result
of deliberate intelligent conversations. An intelligent
conversation is food for the soul, mind and spirit
which enables individuals, families, communities
and nations to achieve greater wisdom and
understanding through exploration, open-
mindedness and a willingness to learn.

9. Intelligent Conversations
 How do you converse with your YOURSELF?
 Why do you converse with OTHERS?
 What do you do after the CONVERSATIONS?
 Sustainable trans-generational solutions are a result
of deliberate intelligent conversations.
 An intelligent conversation is food for the soul, mind
and spirit which enables individuals, families,
communities and nations to achieve greater wisdom
and understanding through exploration, open-
mindedness and a willingness to learn.

10. Develop an intelligent response
 “Respond intelligently even to unintelligent
treatment.” (Lao Tzu)
 Often we feel we are wronged or deserve better
treatment from strangers and those around us
 It is up to us to choose how we will respond in any
given situation; we determine how we’ll feel and
think about something. No one has this power over
us, unless we give it to them.
 We simply choose to be intelligent in our own
actions, no matter how, illogical or mean others are
behaving.

11. Develop an intelligent response
 Think trans-generationally
 Collaborate and harness intellectual assets and
resources
 Prepare for opportunities
 Knowledge sharing and acquisition -
 Respond and do not react
 Start with the most basic sphere of influence – your
family

12. A provoking call to Intelligent Conversations...
 Transform your conversation and become relevant
to the present and future of Africa.
 Let us move away from the petty level of
conversations we have been known to engage and
start prioritising high seat issues which add value to
the national discourse.
 Become impassioned with technology and
extraordinary things beyond your comfort zones and
add your voices to the beneficiation agenda.

13. Thank You
CYNTHIA HAKUTANGWI
Communications &
Personal Development Consultant
Mobile: 263 772 438 068
E-mail: chakutangwi@gmail.com
cynthia@wholenessincorporated.com
Facebook: Wholeness Incorporated
Websites: www.wholenessinc.com
www.traincor.co.zw