New self-empowerment website for women

A platform for women to share and inspire each other, the POUT website will go live on 9 August.

POUT stands for Powerful, Outstanding, Unique and Talented. Zaza Motha decided to start this website to create a platform for young women to share stories, inspiration and information with each other.

The website will showcase women who are doing amazing work, companies who are uplifting young people and products that young women would be interested in.

Motha gives some more insight into what POUT is all about.

What made you decide to start this website?
POUT is a life-long dream. I used to keep scrapbooks, specifically from the age of 14, where I wrote down my feelings about experiencing the death of my mother at age seven.

I also filled my scrapbooks with information from newspapers and magazine articles which allowed me to spot opportunities that I could follow up on, like entering essay competitions, bursary programmes, etc. Things, words and people’s stories that made feel good also made it into my scrapbooks and they gave me absolute joy. The information that I gathered really empowered me to take action and it provided a creative distraction.

I was made aware of women’s issues at a young age and I noticed a gap in disseminating information to young women that can instil the passion needed to have a dream, sustain it and to make it come true. I believe that exploring your talents, gifts and ambitions at a young age will foster a new generation of leaders for South Africa.

What type of women will be featured on the website?
POUT is for young women from 16-30 years.

POUT benefits young women who need:
* To build or grow their confidence.
* To feel good.
* Career growth opportunities.
* To prepare themselves for mentorship relationships.
* To fulfil their vision or ambitions.
* To contribute to society.

What do you hope to achieve with the POUT website?
The POUT website provides stories, information and opportunities that will inspire young women to explore their world with confidence. I hope that young women take advantage of this and take action in exploring who they are so they can find or build their vision. I also hope that companies and individuals will step forward and show us how they contributed to the advancement of women, especially young women so that the POUT audience can see the opportunities that exist for them.

How important is it for young women to have role models and a website such as POUT?
Having role models on POUT or any other platform is crucial because those people illuminate what is possible and achievable. Those people fuel the possibilities and the desire to be more and do more.