West Makira Women ready to manage Rural-Based Businesses

More than 20 Women and girls in West Makira Constituency are now able to manage small businesses, thanks to the Matavale Women’s Association in organizing a Small Business Management training recently.

The training was conducted by William Matapaza, a business trainer from Solomon Islands Small Business Enterprises Centre (SISBEC) at Tawaiabu village organized by the Matavale Women’s Association, a local women-led NGO based in Honiara.

Twenty-Eight participants from the four wards of West Makira attended the training of which 25 were women or girls and three men.

The Business management training is part of Matavale Women’s Association’s program under a United Nations Peace and Humanitarian Fund project to empower women manage small businesses’ as part of a wider approach to respond to the effects of natural disasters, especially cyclones, flooding, earthquakes and tsunami, of which Makira Province is very prone to.   

In the training, participants were able to learn basic knowledge on basic bookkeeping, cash book maintenance, budgeting, profit and loss, bank reconciliation and services provided by financial institutions such as loans, bank deposits, transfers and other financial services.

The training included lectures, participatory discussions and local businessmen were invited to share their experiences managing their businesses in the rural areas.

A participant of the training, Nester Ha’amauru said that the training was an eye-opener for a lot of the participants because although such training is available, they could not afford to attend because of the fees.

“We are very grateful to Matavale Women’s Association in organizing such training in rural settings as this would be the first time people like me had the chance to attend. It instilled in me ideas I can use to manage any business undertaking I would like to venture into in the future” Ms. Ha’amauru said.

Following the Financial training, women groups in the four wards of West Makira Constituency will be able to manage their own businesses of which profits will be saved to be used in times of disasters.

The establishment of these businesses will be made possible through seed money to start their businesses.

The women’s groups have identified areas of business involvement which includes fuel depots and wholesaling.

The women-managed businesses are expected to start in 2024.

The project is funded by the United Nations Peace and Humanitarian Fund.

ENDS///

Matavale Women’s Association