INVESTOR and top-notch entrepreneur Miriam Mukorombindo recently launched the women’s lounge at the Touch of Grace Venue in Highlands to provide a safe space for executive women to explore business ideas through networking and social interaction.
The idea behind the Women’s Lounge marks the beginning of a series of sessions that will include programs meant to improve mental health and networking for women in different spheres of influence.
With patriarchy predominant in Zimbabwe’s social spheres and the movement towards gender equality and women empowerment being in action–a lot of changes have been made to the social and economic structures with more women rising to various political, economic, and social positions of power.
The rise of women in leadership is a testament to the fact that women have the potential to rise and propel to greater heights just as their male counterparts. Stigmatisation, stereotypes, and double standards have been cited as some of the obstacles to the emancipation of women, but thanks to platforms such as the women’s lounge which now afford women spaces where they can relax through networking and social interactions with the ultimate objectives being to bring about gender parity with their male counterparts.
One of the purposes of the lounge is to afford women in executive positions spaces and platforms to support each other emotionally and to maintain positive energy so as to avoid complete burnout.
Women’s Lounge offers membership packages for women in different spaces including subscription-based membership, which offers monthly or yearly based membership that gives the members access to the women’s lounge and exclusive events. Another form is the pay-per-event membership which offers affordable charges which can be paid for each event they attend at the women’s lounge. This was designed specifically for women who opt for more flexible arrangements.
Membership with event discounts offers a programme that includes discounts on events, products and early access to events. The membership programmes are all in line with the lounges core values which are inclusivity, productivity, and inspiration.
The launch itself included activities like networking, discussions on beauty therapy, proper formal dressing ideas, and yoga which are both exercises for the body and soul. The lounge also provides call centre services that link executive women with legal, financial, spiritual, and psychological support.
Mukorombindo, who is the brainchild of the project stated that the rise to the top was not an easy walk in the park, and as such the coming together of women was vital in strengthening relationships in business and in other facets of life. She added that it had been her passion to see women live up to their potential.
“My passion is seeing women live worthy lives in every aspect that is financially, spiritually physically among many,” she said.
Women’s Lounge event coordinator Sympathy Mangwenya stated that the event had been a resounding success with expectations for more women’s lounge events in the coming few months.
“We have unanimously agreed to have these play and networking sessions monthly. There is a lot to expect in terms of programming for every executive woman out there,” Mangwenya added.