Conference inspires women to ‘just do it’

This year’s forum was special for many reasons. For quite a few women delegates, this was their first time at the event. It points to a rising interest amongst the Kiwi-Indian women looking to network, share and become successful in every aspect of their lives. Aptly, the theme of this year’s forum held at Rydges in Rotorua was ‘just do it’. Chairperson, Ranjna Patel, set the scene by emphasising the importance of confidence and breaking the imaginary glass ceiling we all create around us. President of NZICA, Mr Paul Bains Singh and President of BOP, Shashi Patel offered a warm welcome to the ladies attending.
Throughout the entire day, over 120 women attended the conference including many young women.
The MC for the morning was Puspa Lekinwala was particularly inspiring and she chaired a whopping 7 forums. The conference was opened by a Ganesh dance from Rotorua Association and then by Mellissa Lee who flagged off the segment on a upbeat, dynamic note.
She had the audience’s attention from the word go with her down to earth and honest remarks, and a speech delivered from the heart about her personal experiences.
The first speaker, Gina Dellabarca, the Regional Manager of Westpac shared her experience of working her way up from a teller to a regional manager. Dellabarca herself is from a migrant Italian family and from humble beginnings. Yet, she set a vision for herself.
“To be noticed, to achieve your goals, don’t be afraid to speak up if you have a good idea,” she advised.
The second speaker Priscilla Mistry is a young professional at KPMG and a national cricket sporting figure. Getting glimpses into her life, both personal and professional, was a revelation. Her insight and her lack of barriers she perceived being an Indian or being women was very refreshing.
The talks were followed by workshops where groups of 30-40 women were able to have a one-on-one with the presenters. This was important since attendees were able to ask specific questions and apply what they learnt into their own lives. The workshop topics were wide ranging and comprehensive.
For instance, one workshop covered how to be safe. Detective Clare Beal from Counties Manukau Police and Gurmeeta Bath Singh, covered the topic of sexual abuse. It was helpful since the talk shed light on the reality and myths of what happens when you seek help. Together with Jaesang Lee, Luke Emery and Diamond Hofmann from Tae Kwon Do in Rotorua the team showed ladies how to fend off an attack. They showed the ladies the weak points and everyone enjoyed learning simple techniques, and how to keep safe.
The second workshop touched upon women’s health. Priscilla ran a mini Boot camp workshop. The routines shown catered for ladies from all ages. The third workshop imparted skills to women to help them face their fears. The two speakers, Hansa Naran and Susie Patel, talked about their personal experience of dealing with grief. One a cancer survivor and one a widower, spoke straight from the heath.
Everyone in the audience was moved and could relate in one way or another to how you can deal with situations when supporting someone.
The workshops were a great success as everyone; even the shy ladies opened up. The evening dinner entertainment was organised by Mona and Gurpreet, with a performance by the women from the Wellington Indian Association.