Economic Empowerment
An entrepreneurship workshop aiming at providing women with necessary information and facilities for business start-ups was held this morning at the Council Room, City Council in Port Louis. The Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, Mrs Roubina Jadoo-Jaunbocus, the Lord Mayor of the City Council of Port Louis, Mr Daniel Laurent and other eminent personalities were present at the event.
In her address, Minister Jadoo-Jaunbocus underlined that women are the pillars of society and they should tap their potentials to become entrepreneurs. This workshop, she pointed out, will inculcate the right business culture for prospective and existing women entrepreneurs to progress in the entrepreneurship field. They will be able to develop a sense of autonomy and will be able to become economically independent by starting up their businesses, she added.
The Minister stressed that her Ministry is committed to promote the economic empowerment of women, as well as encourage the development and growth of women entrepreneurs. To this end, she emphasised that the National Women Entrepreneur Council (NWEC) is acting as a facilitator in providing training and in organising sensitisation programmes and workshops for women to improve their skills and management aptitudes in entrepreneurship.
Local fairs and exhibitions are also organised to promote entrepreneurial activities of women, she added. In the context of the 50th Anniversary of Independence of Mauritius, she said, more activities will be held with a view to empowering women entrepreneurs.
For his part, Mr Daniel Laurent commended the contribution of women towards the socio-economic development of the country. He urged the women present to benefit from the facilities that are being put to their avail through the workshop. Confidence, perseverance and determination are the key elements that women entrepreneurs should consider so as to achieve success in their respective fields, he underscored.
The workshop
Some 150 participants attended the half-day workshop. It comprised presentation of services provided by the NWEC; procedures for business registration; permits and licenses required for setting up of a business; schemes available to women entrepreneurs by MauBank Ltd.
About NWEC
The NWEC has been set up in 1999 and it has amongst its set objectives to evaluate and assess the needs of women entrepreneurs as well as examine and evaluate the contribution of women entrepreneurs to the various sectors of development in the light of national needs and priorities. There are presently some 5600 members at the NWEC. Around 2600 people are active members of the council engaged in different sectors such as agro-food, craftsmanship and textile.