Her name is Jennine Van Jarsveld and she is a sophomore in the Women In News (WIN) Leadership Programme. WIN is aimed at women who work in the media industry in countries including Botswana, Zambia and Namibia. Launched in 2010, the programme has seen three intakes of women receive the necessary training and mentorship skills.

Jarsveld currently holds the position of Circulation and Operations Manager for The Free Press of Namibia (Pty) Ltd., or The Namibian as the publication is popularly called.

Her extensive duties at The Namibian include overlooking distribution, managing circulation, and operations including buildings maintenance, project management, asset control, procurement and fleet management.

“I’m also responsible for implementing strategies within circulation, distribution and operations as well as budgeting and budget control,” she adds.

According to Jarsveld, her publication is the biggest single publishing independent newspaper in Namibia. On average it prints 35,000 copies on Monday-Thursday and 60,000 copies on Friday with an average of 5-9% return rate.

And while others might be content with such an achievement, that notion does not apply to her. She is still casting her eyes wide to a bigger picture. Her career road map will see her moving from her comfort zone to another challenging role.

Part of those future plans will see her changing the landscape of the media industry not only in her home country but also across the African continent, where she is hoping to tap into the many opportunities present in the industry and the need for expertise in certain fields. In her own words, ten years down the line she is envisioning her brand contributing in an effective and efficient way, not only offering services but training and consulting on industry issues.

“I am hoping that such an opportunity would allow newspapers in Namibia and other SADC countries to be more than just hard news, but also contribute to education and youth development,” she says.

The latter goal is driven by two quotes that she holds close to her heart. Nelson Mandela said: "Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world." Brigham Young said: "If you educate a man, you educate a man. If you educate a woman, you educate a generation."

Reflecting on what the WIN leadership programme has done for her, she notes that she had been given an absolutely amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge. Jarsveld echoes that knowledge is power.

“It gives us the ability to reason. It has given me the opportunity to build a network with other women in the same industry, and learn from others and from their experiences and expertise. At every WIN event, I have had the opportunity to reflect and re-organise myself, re-plan and implement what I have learned in both my strategic planning as well as daily tasks,” she clarifies.

In the next year when another group of freshmen are orientated, she will be nearby to tell them about the many opportunities that the programme has awarded her.

Working in a male dominated industry comes with its own batch of challenges. And one of those challenges, she points out, is the perception that women only need office jobs minus any challenging role. She further says that people also tend to doubt the technical skills of females.

“My role requires me to have strong analytical and technical skills, with in-depth knowledge of logistics. And I have proven myself in that role by being a good manager through results,” she says proudly.

In order to deal with the day-to-day challenges that come with her job, she always takes a step back when faced with stressful and challenging situations. She further says that reflection time is important. Jarsveld also points out that self-motivation and motivation from family and friends are of utmost importance in order to get her through these crazy moments.

“Spending time realising again what my passions are and why I am doing this is also getting me through challenges,” says Jarsveld. She adds that one of the advantages of being a woman in such a position is the fact that women have a supreme understanding and empathy towards other women.

In comparison to men, she highlights that women can multitask to a greater extent than the opposite sex.

“We open up easier and ask for advice without feeling incompetent or insulted. We can connect to others on an emotional level, as we are more in touch with our feelings and others' feelings, but still keep it professional.”

Interview conducted by Phemelo Ramasu.