In celebration of Women’s Month, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Tokozile Xasa, will be delivering the keynote address at the Inaugural WOVSA International Women’s Cooperative Indaba, 22 - 24 August 2016.

The Women of Value (WOVSA) International Women Cooperatives Annual Indaba event will be launched as a means of engagement to unlock the great potential of its member cooperatives and others. Under the Theme:” Transforming cooperatives into sustainable business enterprises” the aim is to advocate that it is time for a new kind of a Cooperative model in South Africa which yield growth and sustainability. Cooperatives provide an alternative model for the implementation of the sustainable, community-based initiatives in South Africa and cuts across the economic sector.

As a champion of this event, the Deputy Minister will look at cooperatives in the tourism space, advocating the role of women in economic development in South Africa. Through its Women in Tourism Association established in 2013 and its subsequent provincial chapters, as well as its Tourism Incentives Programme, the National Department of Tourism aims to facilitate cooperatives as mechanisms for economic growth and social upliftment in this sector. To be in line with the 2063 agenda for African Women: The Sustainability Development Goals, the department aims to ensure that its agenda for women in tourism is on par.

This Indaba sees the launch of the WOVSA Vision 2020 three-year Cooperatives Development Programme which will be implemented across the nine provinces focusing on 450 cooperatives. This event is therefore set to bring together the relevant key stakeholders who will be part of this development programme. The roles will differ from profiling of the cooperatives, supplier development, exchange programmes, incubation, funding and enterprise development by the private sector.

This international event will be attended by women in leadership from other African countries. It serves as a platform to inspire and create opportunities for smaller and emerging cooperatives to share their ideas and stories with others that have also endured and thrived in the African and SADC Countries. The Indaba will therefore be an information sharing, marketing and networking platform on how to grow these cooperatives into sustainable business enterprises. The event will consist of a closed session of women in leadership (22nd), commissions, networking and opportunity to market their products through exhibitions.

Date: 22 – 24 August 2016
Time: 15h00
Venue: Avianto Hotel,Krugersdorp

Programme available on request

Media are cordially invited to attend.

Please RSVP to:

Natasha Rockman
Deputy Director: Communications
Office of the Deputy Minister of Tourism
Cell: 076 429 2264
Email: nrockman@tourism.gov.za

Background
Women of Value SA (WOVSA) is an NPO with the mandate to amongst others mobilise, advocate, monitor and evaluate as well as do research and development on the programmes initiated by government, the private sector and other social partners – affecting the livelihoods of women and youth. It also assists women to play a meaningful role within the socio-nomic developmental space. Having worked with cooperatives and noting the challenges that they faced, WOVSA embarked on a research project to develop and empower women in cooperatives. Co-operatives provide an alternative model for the implementation of the sustainable, community-based initiatives in South Africa.
WOVSA facilitates programmes like:
• Women in Cooperatives Development
• Women in Business Enterprise Development
• Rural Development Special Projects
• Unemployed Women & Youth Empowerment
• Underprivileged Children & Elderly Support
• Personal Development

For more information, visit www.wovsa.org