Women participate in Manus business training

Twenty-five women in Manus have completed a three-day workshop on business development, funded by Australia through the Provincial and Local-Level Governance Program in partnership with the Manus Provincial Government.

The women participated in the Beginners Entrepreneurship Workshops aimed to improve skills in sales, marketing, business planning, savings and loans and human resource management.

They were joined by 28 men, making a total of 53 participants, of which 19 were youth.

During the opening of the business workshop, Australian High Commission First Secretary Simon Roz said the training encouraged the participants to tap into opportunities and grow their businesses.

He said women have the potential to become business entrepreneurs and create employment opportunities that will support their communities.

“The economic development of women in Manus Province is an important focus of Australia’s development cooperation in the  province.

This training will empower women in their formal and informal business activities and contribute positively to the development of the province,” Roz said.

Participant Jacklyn Campbell, who owns a real estate business, says the workshop has boosted her skills and knowledge on savings and business expansion.

“When operating my business, I collect the money and spend it on unnecessary costs rather than the daily management of the business.

I often find myself in difficult situations where I am left with nothing to take care of my business.

“When I heard that there will be business training, I registered my name to attend. I have learnt a lot and I will put it into practice to grow my business,” said Jacklyn.

Manus Deputy Provincial Administrator Paso Pohei acknowledged the ongoing support from the Australian Government for the business training workshops in the province since 2014.

“Running a business comes with a lot of challenges and only the courageous people will continue despite the difficulties they face in conducting their business,” Pohei told participants.

The training is delivered by local service provider Institute of Banking and Business Management (IBBM) will continue to mentor participants, providing advice and resources to support business development in Manus.

Author: 
Press Release