As South Africa marks the 67th annual Women’s Day celebration on Wednesday, 9 August, the Phoenix Tabloid spoke to an empowering businesswoman and director of Starwood Superspar, Serena Jagadasan, who has proven, beyond any doubt, that there is no limit to what women can accomplish.
As we continue to make strides towards more gender diversity in the workplace, we can get inspired by the women who have made it to the top and paved the way for others to follow. Not only has Serena served the community with dedication for many years, she is also passionate about empowering and motivating women.
Speaking to the Phoenix Tabloid, the 39-year-old wife and mother of three boys said: “I live the women empowerment dialogue – my organisation comprises 70% of women and I have increased the representation of women in leadership positions within the organisation. I believe that when women are empowered with education, employment and resources, they can contribute to the growth and prosperity of their families, communities and the nation.”
After completing her primary and secondary school years in Phoenix, Serena relocated to Gauteng where she studied at the University of Johannesburg and qualified as a Diagnostics Radiographer. She later graduated with a post graduate diploma in business management at Mancosa.
Starwood Superspar, her first flagship store in Phoenix has been serving the community for the last 15 years and has embarked on hamper drives, food drives and honoured appeals by community organisations. Over the years, Serena Jagadasan has received several accolades from the Spar group such as KZN store of the year, (Superspar category) and National Superspar store of the year, however she says her greatest accomplishment to date is improving literacy levels among young children via the school libraries that she has reconstructed as the founder of Star Retailers Foundation, which she established four years ago.
“The main objective of Star Retailers Foundation is to extend our hand as a ray of hope in strengthening all the communities that we serve through our stores around Durban. Our key project currently is the ‘Dream Big Little Reader’ initiative where we reconstruct and refurbish under-resourced government school libraries, instil a culture of reading for the foundation phase learner, improve literacy levels at schools as we provide brand new books that are grade specific, relevant and exciting for the children so that they are continuously engaged and continually reading and promote reading as a life-long tool. We are so proud to have reconstructed and refurbished seven libraries in seven Phoenix schools.”
The Foundation has positively impacted the lives of over 3000 children, with each school getting 2000 – 3000 brand new books. “By helping children read we are setting them up for success academically, emotionally and intellectually. These are the future leaders of tomorrow. Our endeavour of community development now extends outside of the library and literacy programmes. Our Foundation now offers free cricket lessons by Professional coach, Ugasen Govender. The cricket lessons are already underway aiming to tap into hidden gems in the Phoenix community. We provide these lessons weekly and have already found some hidden talent in our boys. We have blessed the children with this extra mural activity and have received such a positive response from educators and parents alike. It’s promoted a healthy balance in the children as well as decreased time spent on their devices,” said Serena.
Her future goals include opening up a tutoring centre for government school learners, to help them achieve academic success. Sharing her thoughts on gender-based violence, rape, murder and all kinds of abuse on women, which is prevalent in our communities, Jagadasan said: “Gender-based violence is a violation of human rights. It has a profound impact on an individual and causes significant emotional distress, trauma and long term psychological effects. As a community, we need to engage in supporting survivors and providing access to safe spaces, counselling, legal aid, and healthcare services which are vital in helping individuals heal and rebuild their lives. Communities need to create inclusive and supportive environments where victims can come forward without fear of judgment. We also need to educate communities about consent, respect, and that healthy relationships are vital steps towards eliminating any form of violence.”
“This Women’s Month, I want to share a message of hope with women going through life’s challenges. You are not alone, and your feelings are valid. It is completely normal to feel overwhelmed and discouraged at times, especially when facing difficult challenges. However, it is important to remember that hope can be found even in the darkest moments. You are stronger than you realise, know that you possess inner strength and resilience. You have overcome difficult moments in the past, and you have the power to navigate through the obstacles in front of you.”
“Above all, remember that your journey is unique, and healing takes time. It’s okay to have moments of weakness, but don’t lose sight of the potential and strength within you. You are capable of finding hope again and creating a brighter future for yourself,” said Serena.
“To all the incredible young girls and women out there – you have the power to define your own worth and shape your own path. Let your power shine, truly love yourself unconditionally, and embrace the incredible force that resides within you. You are a force to be reckoned with, and the world is waiting for the brilliance you bring. Together, let’s write a new chapter in history, where empowered women empower the world,” added Serena.
