Sebenzile Dlamini is the founder and director of Women in Trade and Development (WITAD), which is a non-profit organization that operates in Eswatini. In 2015, a year after legally incorporating WITAD, she and her husband used their personal income to provide humanitarian aid to a poor, vulnerable household in Malindza, and they built a house for them with assistance and donations from the local community. It became clear to Sebenzile that poverty is a complex phenomenon that can only be eradicated through multiple, integrated interventions at the household, national and global levels. In 2020, she developed a curriculum on income generation, wealth creation and purposeful living. WITAD  used this curriculum to train 45 adolescents through in-person and online training workshops in 2020 and 2021. She left employment in March 2022 to focus on growing WITAD’s programs. In April 2022, WITAD trained 52 volunteers to assist the organization in building the capacity of Out-of-School Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) to create self-help projects and businesses and access education opportunities. Sebenzile also founded a business named 19-D (Pty) Ltd that trades as an eatery and a management consultancy. She shares stories about her business with the adolescent girls and young women to inspire them to start their own businesses. Previously she served as the Head of the Incubator at the Royal Science and Technology Park; Chief Economist at Swaziland Competition Commission; Director of Trade at Business Eswatini; Senior Trade Policy Analyst at Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade and Economist at the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development. Sebenzile holds a Master of Science in Business Economics, Finance and Banking from Portsmouth University, a Post-graduate Diploma in Management Practice (Trade Law Specialization) from the University of Cape Town, a Post-graduate Diploma in Competition Law from Kings College London, and a Certificate on Intellectual Property from the World Intellectual Property Organization. 

IVLP Impact Award Project: Leveraging Technology for Gender Equity and Vulnerable Adolescents in Labour Market and Entrepreneurship

Sebenzile and her non-profit WITAD trained 385 out-of-school adolescent girls including teen moms on ICT for education, business and sexual and reproductive health and rights. The training methods combined face-to-face lessons over three days and online learning over two months. Graduation was in the fourth month and the participants will be mentored for the following two years. This project was necessary because some adolescent girls are out-of-school due to poverty, illness or unplanned pregnancy. Therefore, after the training, they will be empowered to be less dependent by returning to school, starting self-help projects to have viable businesses and improving household income levels. The program will also enhance their future employability.

"Failing to draft a business plan delayed my dreams. While it's hard to predict the future, I sincerely believe that I'll be a very successful businesswoman one day. Thanks!" - Project Participant

IVLP Exchange Experience

Sebenzile was a participant in the IVLP Project Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Program, organized by the U.S. Department of State and American Councils for International Education.

Sebenzile's exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award Project: "The IVLP was well-organized. I was inspired by the concerted efforts to strengthen the financial, legislative and practical support for STEM, innovation and entrepreneurship in the U.S. I was happy to see the growing emphasis on women-owned tech start-ups and the under-represented minority. I appreciate being an alumnus of a strong IVLP."

U.S. Communities Visited Virtually

San Francisco, CA; Washington, DC; Boise, ID; Detroit, MI; Baltimore, MD; Orlando, FL; Pittsburgh, PA

Country: Eswatini

Click here to go back to the IVLP Impact Awards Main Page