My name is Imelda Hipom and I am a representative of the Taurama Barracks Army Wives SME group.
There are four of us in our current group, and we are a part of the lucky few that participated in workshops that landed us a stall to sell our items in the week leading up to the 46th PNG Independence.
Despite being a part of an SME group, we all come individually to sell our items at events that we are able to set up a stall for, and we always support each other.
I have a company of my own called Hipom Kuse’s Family Delight where I do catering of all sorts and for various occasions. The food I deliver in my work is all organic.
It is a small business and I do struggle at times to keep it going but despite the challenges I face, I work hard to achieve my daily goals of delivering and in return receiving customer satisfaction.
In our group, Doreen Nakamara orders her fabric materials all the way from Rabaul, to create the popular ladies wear, Meri blouse and of course Men’s shirts, the assorted laplaps and the like.
Mrs Kurai Siwes, who is another member of our SME group, also does her catering business but of the local delicacies like Mumu and Aigir.
We are a small but hardworking group of women who do what we can to help provide for our families, especially since our husbands and partners are committed to serving our country and its leaders.
There are moments where we try to reach out to leaders in Parliament for their assistance in our endeavors, as one can only do so much with the minuscule profits we barely get by with each day.
Our aim is to register a company for the four of us and hopefully, should we achieve to communicate with the influential public figures, we can be engaged in little contracts that will gradually elevate our business to heights that can support us in the long run.