The ‘honest potential of womenfolk’ to contribute equally in nation-building was brought to light with the momentous launching of the 'Enga Enda Anda Association' in Wabag yesterday. Enga Enda Anda means “Enga women’s house of meeting”.
Representatives from 26 women’s group in the six districts of Wabag, Wapenamanda, Laiagam, Kandep, Porgera and Kompiam-Ambum, arrived in the provincial capital with bags loaded with local products ranging from clothing to garden produce to display and sell to the public. Some of the items included down-streamed Surunki honey, Surunki gem and Pondolian spices, which were eye-openers for the public.
The association has more than 36,000 registered members.
They have been engaged mostly in small to medium entrepreneurship (business) activities in the last 10 years with funding assistance from the Enga Provincial Government.
Association president and key initiator of the group, Magaret Potane, said the Enga Provincial Government had assisted the groups through SME programs before their mobilisation to contribute to the overall development was recognised officially today.
“So far, more than K8 million has been injected to women initiated SME programs by the EPG in the last 10 years, which in fact had assisted our women in a bigger way to realise their potential to be equal partners in development and service delivery,” Potane said.
Enga governor Sir Peter Ipatas said the government would also assist the women group with cooling and storing facilities to administer their products, besides other funding assistance.
