Women entrepreneurs position for great foreign market share
Story by Aifheli Mudau
SMALL to medium scale female entrepreneurs in Bulawayo are exploring new opportunities with regional markets to increase their product visibility and boost income.
According to this sector, there huge appetite for local products on the international market, raising the need for a coordinated synergy with potential buyers.
“If we can get support to find markets where we can sell our products, it will be good because some places are really expensive for us to work from,” said one of the entrepreneurs.
Another added, “We do a lot of products as women, but we need where we can sell them.”
At the core of the national programmes, trade promotion body, ZIMTRADE, is pushing for enhanced participation of the Small Scale and Medium Enteprises sector in the export industry.
“We really encourage all SMES to work with us so that we can assist them in reaching out to their potential clients,” said ZIMTRADE Client Advisor, Ms Nozipho Maphala.
Government is emphasising on the participation of women as part of a national vision to promote gender equality.
“The World Economic Forum estimates that it will take over a century to attain gender equality. We all need to play a role in ensuring that this dream becomes a reality,” said the Permanent Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution representative, Ms Boitsaonelo Noko.
Participation of women in key economic programmes has topped the agenda at various global platforms, with experts agreeing that women are a vital pillar for national development.
