COVERED Special Business Edition | Page 21

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES AS A MUSLIMAH BUSINESSWOMAN The road to ―investing and growing‖ oneself was not easy, however, Naseera studied towards a degree in Financial Planning and Wealth Management. Night classes posed many challenges with two young children and a husband in tow. Naseera’s hard work and sacrifice has paid dividends as she now operates as a qualified and sought-after Independent Financial Planner especially amongst Muslim women, from professionals to young graduates including ladies with their kitchen savings, have all entrusted her in helping them to grow their wealth. “Almost seve nteen years later, I now offer Financial Coaching and my drive is to empower women to be financially savvy. I‟m a Director and Associate Partner of a Brokerage in Wendywood, with passion for people. My brokerage offers you the full advantage of all companies and very attractive fee structures and full Shariah, Offshore and Share Investment options where you as a client are spoilt for choice.” RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS Naseera shares that she was very humbled to have been chosen by an organisation headed by Mrs Hawa Charfaray (on this month’s cover) called Training Excellence. “I was invited to collaborate with her and contribute to a Forum on African Women Leadership Development along with The United Nations (UN) ECOSOC in Dubai which took place in November 2017. My Business Coach Mrs Charfaray has been brilliant! She has helped me grow my business and find my inner self- worth. I recommend that all women have a mentor who builds you up in a world of negativity and Hawa has been that friend and mentor to me.” say’s Naseera. CURRENT PROJECTS Naseera is chartering a course: ―A Financial Guide for Woman‖. It is a one-on-one coaching to be held with small groups of women to build their confidence and show them various options on how to plan for their future financially. Naseera says, “It was a real eye opener to know that we as women have a common lack of confidence when it comes to saving, yet we do it every day in our household duties, we try to get the best deals when we shop for our food and clothes yet we are not savvy with saving for ourselves! We strive to be good mothers, wives, daughters and daughter in-laws. Also today more and more women are studying and becoming professionals but when it comes to their finances in terms of saving, retirement, emergency funds and diversifying their portfolio, they lack the knowledge and are not confident in making decisions. I educate women on getting their affairs in place in case of death, disability or retirement and saving not just for long term but also for the short term perks, who better than a woman who understands a woman. I‟m very passionate about teaching men and women to be more conscious of wealth creation and start saving from a young age. “