Why #GiveToGain is the new currency of Namibian progress
As the sun rises over Namibia this 8 March, 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 recognise a fundamental truth: generosity is not an expense; it is our most strategic investment.
In the banking sector, we have spent decades perfecting the art of “gatekeeping”. We have measured creditworthiness through traditional lenses that, frankly, were not designed with women in mind. To #GiveToGain means shifting our mindset from gatekeeping to gate-opening. It is about embracing a collaborative spirit: Providing the funding, mentorship and support necessary for women not just to participate in the economy, but to lead it. This is a vital imperative within both the Namibian and broader international context.
When we speak about “giving” in a professional setting, it is often mistaken for charity. Let us be clear: empowering women in business is far from a handout. It is the most logical economic win available to us - a positive entry on the balance sheet, if you will.
When women gain access to capital, they do not simply build a business; they build a community. They hire, they educate, and they reinvest, all within their communities.
#GiveToGain translates into:
• Flexible funding: Creating financial products that acknowledge the unique life cycles and collateral constraints faced by women entrepreneurs.
• Knowledge equity: Sharing the “insider” financial literacy that enables a small-scale producer in the north, the south or in Windhoek to scale into a regional exporter.
• Sponsorship: Moving beyond mentorship to actively bringing women into boardrooms and supply chains.
Women are powerful; the bedrock of families and often the heads of households. They are frequently the managers of family finances. This year’s UN theme, “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls,” reminds us that our efforts cannot be superficial; we must target the elimination of structural barriers.
Justice in banking means recognising that a woman’s “risk profile” is often an artificial construct of a system that has not fully accounted for her resilience. Action means moving beyond ceremonial IWD breakfasts into the rigorous work of policy reform. It means ensuring that every girl - from the streets of Walvis Bay to the schools of Omusati and the boardrooms of Windhoek - knows that her right to financial independence is absolute.
I have seen firsthand what happens when we lower the drawbridge and expand access. I have watched Namibian women transform loans and professional support into thriving businesses that provide for their families. They are not looking for someone to walk the path for them; they are looking for the tools to forge their own.
For financial professionals, the “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 us take action that is bold, funded and inclusive.
* Connie-Marlene Theysen writes in her personal capacity.
