Women to the fore in logistics and transport

Women are coming to the fore in logistics and transport. This is evidenced by the formation and ongoing success of Women in Logistics and Transport South Africa (WiLAT-SA), as MARGARET BANGO explains.

Women in Logistics and Transport (WiLAT) is a women’s chapter within the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport International South Africa (CILTSA). CILTSA is the local branch of CILT International, which has country members across the globe.

In 2010, CILT International decided to establish a women’s chapter at the Macao conference. Shortly thereafter, WiLAT Nigeria was formed, while WiLAT-SA was launched in May 2013, with the objectives to promote logistics and transport to potential female members and encourage and support their career development. To date, WiLAT has over 3 258 members in 33 countries and continues to grow.

WHY JOIN WiLAT?

There are many benefits to WiLAT membership. Our members gain unique professional qualifications and have access to great networking opportunities. They also enjoy exposure to mentoring and many other benefits.

WiLAT-SA membership is open to unemployed women and youth, organised business groups; small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs); and professionals, academics, students, and women employed in the supply chain, logistics, and transport industry. All of our members support talent development, which is our mission and vision.

All female CILTSA members qualify to become WiLAT-SA members.

WiLAT-SA is a registered non-profit company under the South African Companies Act.

PARTNERS

WiLAT-SA has numerous partners. A memorandum of collaboration has been signed with the NAFCOC Women Chamber, Women in Maritime SA, the Association of Women in Supply Chain Africa, and L’Association de Mamans Commerçantes du Congo pour le Développement (a women’s organisation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

PROGRAMMES

We have many ongoing programmes covering training, entrepreneurship development, coaching, and mentoring. Our flagship programme is the Multidisciplinary Skills Development Project targeting women and youth in urban and rural areas.

PROJECTS

We are conducting entrepreneurial training in aquaculture, warehousing for export and import, and freight forwarding.

SPONSORSHIP

There are no sponsors to date. However, we invite captains of industry to support our drive to professionalise the industry, create jobs, and develop women and the youth (since the term “youth” is not gender specific, young males are also welcome to be part of our programmes).
We finally extend a further invitation to the Sector Education and Training Authorities to support our programmes.