A mother of three at the Sister in Business market day partnered with her husband in a sideline business to help raise their children.

Maneapa Ravula, 37, of Tuvalu was among 30 other women showcasing their crafts during the Sisters in Business market day yesterday at the Vodafone Arena Car Park in Suva.

She said to raise their children; the couple took up Do It Yourself (DIY) screen printing and designed clothes to sell.

“We have three children one in Year Two, one in Year One and the youngest is just one-year-old,” Ms Ravula said.

“To fulfil their desires and wishes, my husband and I thought to use the skills and ideas of different designs into the shirts and sell them in the market.

“Through this we earn more than $200 per week which helps us to cater for everyone in the family.”

Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Mereseini Vuniwaqa who officially launched the Sisters in Business Market Day yesterday, said it was a private sector initiative aimed at the economic empowerment of women, particularly rural women.

“Sisters in Business is about promoting our rural women in small-micro level business,” Ms Vuniwaqa said.

“These initiatives highlight the invaluable contribution that women can make to a family, their communities and indeed the nation as a whole.”