DIMAPUR — The Entrepreneurs Associates (tEA) and Friends of Women’s World Banking (FWWB) organised a sales day programme at Old NST in Kohima town on Tuesday.
The event was organised as part of their ‘Nurturing women entrepreneurship programme’ aimed at showcasing the entrepreneurial ventures of women from four districts of Nagaland namely Mon, Tuensang, Phek and Dimapur.
An update from tEA informed that a total of 27 women entrepreneurs participated in the event by setting up stalls featuring a diverse range of products such as pickles, tribal ornaments, baskets, bags, snacks, baked goods, candies and more.
It stated that the event began with a brief programme chaired by Manpang Nyiam, tEA associate project coordinator, which was followed by a speech delivered by Neha, FWWB chief operating officer, wherein she provided insights on entrepreneurship and women’s economic empowerment.
“This sales day is a small effort between tEA and FWWB to create a platform for our women with an aim to give them market exposure. It is truly overwhelming to see so many women entrepreneurs here today, who have travelled across from distant locations and it is so nice to see that the trainings, the efforts and the capacity building support, have shown a significant result,” Neha said.
Anatoli V Awomi, representing the Dimapur team consisting of 10 members, expressed gratitude to tEA and FWWB for their unwavering support and encouragement towards their entrepreneurial endeavours. She highlighted the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Dimapur and how the support from those organisations has been instrumental in their journey towards success.
“There are many ways beyond government jobs to earn a living and contribute to our society. It was because of all the guidance and skilful mentorship provided by these two organisations that we can showcase our products today in this mega event,” Awomi said.
During the event, Neitshote-u Mero, representing the Phek team, shared her entrepreneurial journey and expressed gratitude to FWWB and tEA for recognising and consistently supporting her small business. She highlighted the significant impact of their support, mentioning how it facilitated the expansion and improvement of her business and specifically mentioned the assistance provided by FWWB and tEA in establishing her business online including the creation of an Instagram account for product advertising.
It stated that Mero’s testimonial underscored the valuable support provided by organisations like FWWB and tEA in empowering women entrepreneurs, enabling them to grow and thrive in their ventures.
It mentioned that the women entrepreneurs participating in the event had previously undergone a comprehensive, intensive training session on financial education and business management (FEBMS). The training was conducted to equip them with essential skills and knowledge in areas such as savings, budgeting, smart money management, record-keeping and utilisation of digital banking apps and social media platforms to strengthen their market presence and reach potential customers.
In addition to the FEBMS session, the women also received training in various skills aligned with their existing micro-businesses and interests. The skill training sessions covered a range of topics including food processing such as pickle making, chips making, juice making, baking as well as crochet handbag and footwear-making.
The report stated that tEA, in collaboration with FWWB, is committed to further supporting women entrepreneurs by encouraging them to practically apply their acquired knowledge and gain business-related experience through various opportunities and additional training programs. It further stated that efforts would be made to facilitate market linkages to enhance the visibility and accessibility of their products and services in the marketplace.
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