Women artisans who had missed out on last year’s National Women’s Expo are advised to prepare well and capitalise on the opportunity to be offered in the next women’s expo planned by the Ministry of Women.

Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Rosy Akbar highlighted this while speaking to the women groups in Nasomo village in Tavua and Natawarau settlement along with those in Nasolo village in Ba last week.

Minister Akbar encouraged the women in these communities to confidently enhance their talents and fully utilise the marketing avenues like the National Women’s Expo to showcase their skills.

“National Women’s Expo is a great platform for women artisans to market their skills and talents especially in handicrafts and artefact.

But focus is on producing quality and creative products that will enable them to get higher value and recognition for products.

“Rural women have great potential in producing Fijian made products and through the Expo we are encouraging women groups to start preparing for the next expo which has been allocated a $500,000 in the new budget,” Ms Akbar said.

Vaiyanuyanu Women’s Group president in Natawarau settlement in Ba, Luisa Nakesa said they are looking forward to participate in the National Women’s Expo next year.

“We have over 50 women in our group and we make handicrafts, do screen printing and sewing.

“Our group is going to plan ahead so we can make it to the next expo.

“We are grateful to Minister Akbar for all the encouragement and while the government is availing such opportunities, the onus is also on us women to reach out for the training programmes provided by the Ministry to maximise on our potentials to generate income,” Mrs Nakesa said.

Fiji’s first national Women’s expo started in 2014 at Vodafone Arena in Suva. A total of 448 women’s groups participated in the inaugural event and the women artisans raked in income of over FJD $133, 152 with eastern division women earning highest revenue of $50,000. Similarly, the total income earned through last year’s National Women’s Expo amounted to $352,000.

In partnership with Fiji Arts Council and Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, the women’s Ministry also organised the Divisional Craft Shows in the four divisions.

Through an event like the Expo, the women artisans have gained confidence and business skills to venture into Small and Micro Enterprises through presentation of the Fijian Made Certification emblem that increases the marketability of their products.

Source: Ministry for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation

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