New equipment sets up Gambian women for business growth
Thirty women spent three days learning about entrepreneurship, packaging and food safety with experts from the International Trade Centre (ITC).
They then received crucial equipment including cooler boxes, chairs, and trays so that they can apply what they learned to grow their businesses.
Targeted interventions like these go a long way to improving incomes for women in Foni, a southwestern district in Gambia.
The women traders sell farm produce and other goods along a main highway connecting western Gambia and the Lower River Region.
‘We assure you that we will make the best use of this equipment to grow our businesses,’ said Nyarra Bojang, one of the traders who received equipment. ‘With this support, we can create a better future for ourselves and our families.’
The handover ceremony took place in Kanfenda, Foni, where ITC representative Baboucarr Sallah spoke with women entrepreneurs, the Foni Agency for Rural Development, community members and local officials.
‘Our hope is that you will make the best use of the support,’ Baboucarr said. ‘We are excited to hand over this equipment to you after completing the entrepreneurship training programme to support the growth of your businesses while promoting social cohesion.’
ITC provided the equipment through its Infrastructure for Peace (I4P) project, funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund.
As the women earn more money from their businesses, their livelihoods should improve, with ripple effects that encourage social cohesion throughout Foni.
The I4P project is a three-year joint peacebuilding initiative implemented by ITC, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
