Diana Siame is a Shop Steward with the National Union of Building, Engineering and General Workers (NUBEGW) in Zambia. NUBEGW represents workers that are in construction, engineering, metal, iron and steel, wood/forestry. Diana, who is based in Lusaka, joined NUBEGW in 2019 and recently took part in two courses with IFWEA – The Role of the Secretary and The Role of the Chairperson. She speaks to us about her experiences:

Why did you sign up for these courses?

I wanted to understand the role of both a Chairperson and a General Secretary, in order to build confidence and to be effective when handling these responsibilities; and to develop knowledge and skills.

What were your expectations?

My expectations were to gain insights regarding my own capabilities, and to develop new techniques to lead people effectively.

Do you plan to use the information within your organisation, and also share with your comrades?

Yes – I especially want to create a booklet that I will share with my comrades.

Have you done courses like this before, and if so, what were they?

No, these are my first.

How important is education within NUBEGW, and how does it take place?

NUBEGW has taken education very seriously. We usually do trainings and workshops.

What other sorts of education and training would you like to see within NUBEGW?

I recommend all training offered by IFWEA!

What have been the highlights of the two courses you are on?

There was a great presentation style with lots of opportunities to ask questions and to talk about real life examples. This all made for a really enjoyable and informative course. This has more than met my expectations. Thank you for a great course!