By Connie-Marlene Theyse
As the sun rises in Namibia, this March 8, the atmosphere in Windhoek feels different. International Women’s Day (IWD) has always been a moment for reflection, but this year, the conversation has shifted from “celebrating” progress to “accelerating” it. As a banking executive, my world is often defined by balance sheets and risk assessments. However, the 2026 global theme, #GiveToGain, challenges us to look beyond the ledger and recognize a fundamental truth: generosity is not an expense; it is our most strategic investment.
In the banking sector, we’ve spent decades perfecting the art of “gatekeeping.” We’ve measured creditworthiness through traditional lenses that, frankly, weren’t designed with women in mind. But to #GiveToGain means shifting our mindset from gatekeeping to gate-opening. It’s about the collaborative spirit of providing the funding, mentorship, and support necessary for women not just participate in the economy, but to lead it. This is a vital concept within the Namibian and broader international context.
When we speak about “giving” in a professional context, people often mistake it for charity. Let’s be clear: empowering women in business is the furthest thing from a handout. It is the most logical economic “win” available to us. A positive entry on a balance sheet, if you will.
When women gain access to capital, they don’t just build a business; they build a community. She hires, she educates, and she reinvests. All within her community. #GiveToGain translates to:
- Flexible Funding: Creating financial products that acknowledge the unique life cycles and collateral constraints of women entrepreneurs.
- Knowledge Equity: Sharing the “insider” financial literacy that allows a small-scale producer in the north, south, or in Windhoek to scale into a regional exporter.
- Sponsorship: Moving beyond mentorship to actively pulling women into boardrooms and supply chains.
Women are powerful, the bedrock of families, and often the heads of households. They are certainly the ones who manage the family finances. This year’s UN theme, “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls,” reminds us that our efforts cannot be superficial. We are targeting the elimination of structural barriers.
Justice in banking means recognizing that a woman’s “risk profile” is often an artificial construct of a system that hasn’t accounted for her resilience. Action means moving past the flowery IWD breakfasts and into the rigorous work of policy change. It means ensuring that every girl, from the streets of Walvis Bay to the schools in Omusati and in the boardrooms, knows that her right to financial independence is absolute.
I have seen firsthand what happens when we lower the drawbridge and give access. I have watched Namibian women given the opportunity through loans and professional support, and they’ve turned it into a way to provide for their families by building thriving businesses. They aren’t looking for someone to walk the path for them; they are looking for the tools to forge their own.
As financial professionals, our “gain” is a more stable, diversified, and robust Namibian economy. When we give our trust, our funding, and our advocacy, we receive a society where prosperity is not a zero-sum game.
This International Women’s Day, I challenge my colleagues in the financial sector and beyond: what are you willing to give to ensure we all gain? Let us commit to a banking philosophy that values potential as much as it values collateral. Let’s take action that is loud, funded, and inclusive.