SUVA – U.S. Ambassador Joseph Cella and the U.S. Embassy Suva are proud to host the AWEsome Fiji Christmas Fair at Ratu Sukuna Park on December 3 from 4 pm until 8 pm. The purpose of the Fair is to showcase and market the products of women entrepreneurs participating in the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE). The Embassy is working with the Women Entrepreneurs Business Council (WEBC) and the Makoi Women’s Vocational Centre on the implementation of the AWE program, which is intended to enhance the skills of local businesswomen.
Ambassador Cella remarked, “The women entrepreneurs we see here today embody the vision of the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs in Fiji. The program enhances the capacities of already strong, resilient, and creative women to learn new strategies and tactics, build one another up, share best practices, and develop the business skills that in turn increasing the livings they earn, while lifting and supporting their communities and the local economy.”
One of the first Christmas fairs of the season featured, clothing, jewelry, fabric, home décor, Christmas crafts, and a variety of foods including fresh produce, preserved foods, pastries and savory prepared food. Of the nearly 100 AWE participants, 82 are selling their wares at this experiential learning exercise. Beyond giving their businesses and boost and making some money for the holiday season, the AWE participants will learn from the fair and discuss best practices and lessons learned in their future workshops.
AWE participants come from six different groups and represent the diverse backgrounds and levels of business expertise of the women in Fiji: new and seasoned entrepreneurs, women between the ages of 18-65, from urban and rural communities. Each AWE participant was selected from a pool of women from WEBC members, Makoi students, or local women’s communities.