There is something incredibly powerful about a woman who chooses to open a door instead of guarding it.
By Maphuti Mongatane, business development manager at African Farming
In every industry, there are opportunities that have the power to change someone’s life. Sometimes it is a funding opportunity. Sometimes it is a business lead, an introduction to the right person or simply sharing information about a programme that could help another woman grow. Yet too often, those opportunities stop with us because we fear someone else’s success will somehow diminish our own.
The truth is the opposite.
Success is never reduced by sharing it. Influence is never weakened by introducing others. In fact, the women who leave the greatest legacy are rarely those who accumulated the most contacts or opportunities. They are the women who intentionally used their networks to create opportunities for others.
Throughout my journey in agriculture and business, I have met extraordinary women with remarkable talent, resilience and determination. Many of them are not looking for handouts. They simply need someone to say, “I know someone you should meet,” or “There is an opportunity that would be perfect for you.” That single introduction can change the direction of a business.
Imagine what South Africa could look like if every successful woman committed herself to opening just one meaningful door for another woman every year. Imagine the businesses that would be built, the jobs that would be created and the families that would be transformed. That is how we create a movement – not through competition but through collaboration.
As women, we often speak about empowerment. Real empowerment is not only about celebrating our own achievements. It is about making sure someone else gets the opportunity to achieve theirs as well.
We must become known as women who recommend others without being asked, who celebrate each other’s victories without jealousy and who willingly share knowledge, contacts and opportunities. There is room for all of us to thrive. Your network is one of your greatest assets. Don’t let it become a private collection of names in your phone. Let it become a bridge that connects dreams with possibilities.
When another woman succeeds because you introduced her to the right person, you have not lost anything – you have multiplied your impact. Let us build a culture where women are recognised not only for how high they climbed, but for how many others they lifted along the way.
Because the strongest women are not those who stand alone at the top – they are the ones who keep reaching back, extending a hand and saying, “Come with me.”
Also read:
Elevate Her | The stage means nothing if no one rises!
Elevate Her | When last did you help another woman without expecting anything in return?
Elevate Her | Kindness is a business strategy
Elevate Her | The courage to ask
Elevate Her | The women who grow without permission
Elevate Her | The power of possibility!
