Wealth in her hands: Empowering women with Unit Trusts

Financial independence is no longer some far-away dream, but an existing need for women to take control of their future. Although women were restricted to traditional roles in many African nations, modern initiatives have attempted to give them more economic and social authority. 2020–2030 was designated as the Decade of Financial and Economic Inclusion for Women by the African Union. Through creative approaches to financial access, this initiative seeks to remove barriers that stand in the way of gender equality. In Namibia, where women are considered the pillars of families and communities, the ability to build personal wealth is key to redefining power dynamics, creating generational security, and fostering a culture of financial autonomy. Yet many women hold back from investing, often considering the world of finance to be complex, selective, or too risky. And that is where unit trusts enter to change the scene, presenting them with an uncomplicated, adaptable, and very accessible route toward investment success. Namibia has done quite well to ensure that women are financially included, with 79.8% of eligible women being financially included, compared to 76.1% of men. Investment opportunities, though, remain a largely unexploited avenue even for women. About 40% of organisations with female top managers report that access to finance is a constraint. These figures illustrate the need for alternative investment solutions, such as unit trusts, to help bridge the gap in financial empowerment. Unlike many other investment options, unit trusts provide an ideal starting point for women of all income levels, including those balancing competing priorities such as household management, caregiving, and career ambitions. They allow investors to pool their money into diversified portfolios managed by experts, removing the burden of active market tracking and eliminating the steep learning curve traditionally associated with investing. These advantages mean women can start investing small, mostly with negligible capital, yet still benefit from professional management and diversification. This turns unit trusts into an effective key to the door of long-term financial growth. Besides flexibility, unit trusts provide security to women investors without rigid requirements for the duration of their investment. As opposed to fixed-term investments that may freeze one's funds for an indefinite period, unit trusts guarantee liquidity: they let the investor access the cash while the income on it continues over a certain period of time. This adaptability represents the multitasking of financial responsibilities undertaken by a woman from educating the children and building a pension or emergency fund. These would also include unit trusts embracing value-based investing, whereby investments could be made in pursuit of major priorities that a person holds. With the potential for socially conscious considerations regarding sustainability and community impact by holding funds that might invest in environment-related projects, social citizenship companies promoting diversity and inclusion, it is thus not just about a personal gain but reflects values that could trickle change in the economy and society generally. The long-standing myth that investing is either too risky or too complicated to be handled by the average individual, let alone a woman, has no place in today's financial world. Unit trusts simplify and demystify investing, therefore, as an option that cuts through barriers, providing a playing field. Women are able to unleash the magic of compounding small investments accumulating over time into substantial growth simply by starting with a relatively small amount and consistently adding to it. The earlier they start, the more time their money has to work for them and cement futures built on independence rather than dependence. Unit trusts represent more than just a financial product; they are symbolic of an opportunity for women to take control of their financial journeys. The more women invest in their futures, the stronger their collective impact on the economy. Empowerment through investing is not about one's wealth; rather, it's about rewriting this story of wealth and influence, quite literally putting financial control squarely in the hands of those ready to shape tomorrow's success. Women, now is the time to invest, because quite simply, wealth starts with a choice. Warren Buffet said that “Do not save what is left after spending but spend what is left after saving”.

Wealth in her hands: Empowering women with Unit Trusts

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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Wealth in her hands: Empowering women with Unit Trusts

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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