“There is a general consensus on the need for transformation in the corporate industry, bridging the gender pay gap and getting rid of discrimination in these spaces.” These were words shared by Bachelor of Accounting graduate Immaculate Lwanga, who has introduced an initiative to provide free academic mentorship and tutoring to 10 young black girls from the Eastern Cape.
The former Queenstown Girls’ High School pupil said the initiative, TRIBE, was an academic platform recently launched to cater for 10 grade 12 schoolgirls who are currently studying accounting with the intention of furthering their studies in the faculty of commerce.
“I believe we cannot only wait for Women’s Month to serve as a reminder of the urgency for closing the imbalances in the South African workplace. What we need is to come up with long-term and sustainable solutions. These need to be implemented at grassroots level. I realise now that if I had had a platform such as this, I would have grabbed it with both hands and I want to be able to give another woman that chance. I am passionate about the commercial space in Africa and I see no reason why young black women should not infiltrate and saturate the space as much as possible.”
With a passion for business development, accounting and the commercial space, Lwanga is looking to further obtain a qualification related to these fields. “I want TRIBE to be a space where these girls can be comfortable enough to talk about their academic struggles without feeling pressured or as if they are not being listened to. This is a space where they can receive the help they need from someone who has gone through the same journey and made similar mistakes. To me, TRIBE also means an environment where young girls who are soon to be young professionals can actually create sustainable and healthy relationships with other women who share a similar passion and career goals,” she said.
She added that applicants must have access to the internet for weekly online meetings, they must live and be studying in the Eastern Cape with the intention of furthering their studies in a commercially-related qualification and must have an average of 40%-50% as their final grade 11 mark.
Potential candidates are requested to send an email to officeinlwanga@gmail.com with an attached grade 11 final report, a letter of no more than 500 words (A4) introducing themselves, their home and school background, career ambitions and why they would like to join Tribe. Applications are open till April 30, at 5pm.
