Mother-daughter duo steal limelight at Woman of the Year awards

LOCAL business women and mother-daughter combo from Serengeti, Madelain and Shannon Roscher, both walked away with awards at The Woman of Substance Awards at Emperors Palace on March 11.

The theme for the awards was “Shine like the star you are”, and the Roscher duo captured it in both ability and appearance.

Madelain, the managing director of PR Worx, was the winner of the Woman of the Year Woman in Media category. The company has been in existence since 2001.

Her full service marketing-communications firm has repeatedly won the Best PR Company in Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, South Africa and Africa. The agency’s cutting edge ideas generate extensive media coverage, stakeholder value and tangible results, which have garnered both local and international awards.

In 2001 Madelain left the corporate world, where she was head of South African Airways’ worldwide public relations function and the airline’s spokesperson for six years. She was spending too much time away from her family and established PR Worx to be closer to home.

She said she now intends using the Woman of Stature platform to extend her mentorship and guidance activities beyond her team and clients to the various communities in which PR Worx operates.

Her daughter Shannon (25) is the managing director of a non-profit company called DeskBags. She won the Woman of the Year Youth Ambassador award.

“I am incredibly thrilled to be the winner of this award. It shows you can achieve anything you set your mind to, regardless of your age,” said Shannon.

The company produces functional, eco-friendly schoolbags made from recycled billboard materials. When folded open, the deskbags transform into portable desks that enable under-privileged learners to improve their study habits at home and at school.

DeskBags are made from 100 per cent recyclable billboard materials and are donated through corporate sponsorships to needy schools free of charge.

According to a parliamentary response, South Africa has over three million deskless students, which is exactly why DeskBags was born.

“As a woman and role model in business I am often asked, ‘What more can we do to empower women? What more can we do to improve women’s lives and thereafter inspire them to improve the lives of others?’ I’m a firm believer in the concept ‘pay it forward’.

“That is primarily why I accepted the nomination for Woman of Stature’s Women of the Year competitions as it represents a cause that is close and dear to my own heart. This organisation is dedicated to empowering, inspiring, and improving the lives of others and to expand each individual’s leadership potential,” said Madelain in her acceptance speech.

The two business women beat off stiff opposition to win the prestigious awards from 30 other leading South African women competing in various categories.

“It is incredible that my mother and I are winners in the same competition. My mother has been an enormous inspiration to me and many other women, and today we both push each other to work even harder for our respective causes,” said Shannon.

Launched in April 2013, Woman of Stature has a vision to inspire and empower women from all walks of life. While raising awareness of women empowerment, it raises much needed funds for charities through various projects and fundraising initiatives.

“I employ many women and over the course of the 16 years I have managed PR Worx I’ve emphasised the need to provide women in public relations with significant leadership opportunities, community involvement and professional development to inspire their careers. It is with much pride that I today see many of my protégés throughout this industry in senior or even board positions – and yes, sometimes competing directly with me. That sometimes is the price of empowering people,” Madelain added.

She ended her speech with three pieces of advice to women: “Be yourself. Stop pretending to be a man. You’ll find people will relate to you better and the company culture will become more transparent. Women are wired with great intuition. Trust your instincts.

“Finally, embrace mistakes. Everyone makes them and admitting to a mistake doesn’t characterise you as weak. Realise that mistakes are an opportunity to learn and improve.”

All proceeds of the award ceremony and ancillary activities went towards Woman of Stature’s charitable causes such as CANSA.