Women Entrepreneurs March Forward
The buzz of activity was hypnotic, trucks and bajajs, men and women moved through the wide open space in the center of Awassa where a few dozen tents had been erected as though a new town were being built. And, in an essence it was. This little village would become home to about 140 women entrepreneurs over the next 10 days for a Women’s Entrepreneur Fair.
The rapid industrialization of Ethiopia that ecbp is working towards requires a great deal of participation from all sectors of society. In this regard, women are held as a valuable asset to development, considering there are roughly 40 million of them in the country. Women entrepreneurs are encouraged nationwide by a variety of organizations, including the Ethiopian Women’s Exporters Association (EWEA) which receives technical assistance from ecbp.
“Women need to focus on more formal business skills and learn to promote their products. That is what events like this are about,” remarks Workaferahu Kidane, Program Officer of EWEA, standing in the middle of all the activity in Meskel Square, Awassa. She continues, “Women are able to produce; they are just lacking marketing and communication skills.”
For this reason, EWEA held a workshop for the participants the day before the fair about maximizing exposure at exhibitions. The workshop highlighted things such as greeting people that stop at your display, labeling products with prices and presenting products in an attractive way. The effects of the training became evident while the women set up their displays; numerous price tags began appearing on products that previously would have been left untagged.
To observe the Month of Women Entrepreneurs which is the month of March, and International Women’s Day, March 8, the National Women’s Business Network organizes a yearly Women’s Entrepreneur Fair. This year it was hosted in Awassa by the SNNPR Women Entrepreneur Association and received support from EWEA and ecbp.
By the afternoon, empty tents had been transformed into living showrooms of products ranging from handwoven garments and leather crafts to spices and household items. The energetic women showed off their products to the early shoppers, some of which were the entrepreneurs themselves who took the opportunity before the official opening to visit with old friends and meet new women from various parts of Ethiopia.
Networking is a very important part of events such as this according to a number of the women entrepreneurs in attendance and the event organizers. Some gain new outlets for their goods and others gain new sources for raw materials. For others, such as Tigist from Abesha Designs, not only is it about networking, but discovering what consumers like and dislike.
In the end strengthening women entrepreneurs leads to economic empowerment of women. If women have more economic power, “they create employment for other women,” according to Imawayish Melesse, Head of Women’s Affairs in the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
By the start of the opening ceremony almost 1,000 people had gathered to hear speeches from heads of women’s associations, the government, and the International Labor Organization Director for Ethiopia. Following this the Fair was officially opened and remained so until March 15.
