Gauteng Women in Insurance (GWII)…
“Through the looking glass” - Alice again enters a fantastical world, this time by climbing through a mirror into the world that she can see beyond it.
As a co-owner of FAnews (a wholly women owned business) I was meeting dynamic women in our industry and wondered how we could get all these formidable ladies in one room. I could see beyond the mirror and knew that the industry would be a much ‘richer’ and a more ‘knowledgeable’ place if the right networking and the right partnerships were formed, in the right places, you know the - let’s phone a friend concept.
The time was right... in fact, we felt the timing was perfect. Here we are, celebrating Gauteng Women In Insurance’s ten years of existence! Yip ten years, nothing about that is small, as several businesses don’t make it past year two.
Another important fact to mention is that GWII is a non-profit organisation which means that we, as the founding members, never intended to make a profit. Our vision was the enrichment of ladies in the industry, and not the enrichment of a business… and along the way the enrichment of the less privileged! Yes, all GWII members are ‘life savers’. With all the entrance fees paid over the years, we have given back a lot.
Over the last 10 years, I have been privy to attend most events and looking back, I'm so thankful for all the people I've met, the inspiring talks we've had, the reality checks we often got, and the fun times when we could just relax together. Playing golf with a bunch of women every year is probably one of the highlights for me. Speaking about golf… I think it’s valid to mention that I have witnessed many risk problems being solved at GWII events – placing those complicated risks suddenly was not that difficult because conversations happen, just like they tend to happen on the golf course.
I want to give a special shout-out to all the committee members we've had over the years... these are the people who volunteer their time to make everything happen, and without them, we wouldn't be where we are. Having been part of this from the start, I'm grateful to everyone who's put in their time and effort. We've had a fantastic mix of committee members over the years, all bringing something special to the table. We've tried new things, worked together on big projects, collaborated, and most importantly, we've made a real difference. We've created a welcoming place for women in our industry who want to grow and connect with others.
I feel so very proud of GWII and the ‘relationship’ with FAnews, as their formation ‘mouthpiece’ and then as their proud media / logistical sponsor. We will continue to support them. Cheers to the next ten years, GWII. Let’s continue to ‘water’, so that women can continue to grow, grow, grow.
From a founding member and past President… I can't wait to see what's next!