Women’s network sets up business plan

The National Business

The Pacifika Women Network (PWN) launched its strategic business plan 2019-2024 in Port Moresby yesterday with ambitions to be leader in women’s business networking in the Pacific.
Founder and president Ruth Undi said it was her dream to see women being able to sit down together, exchange business information and being able to connect and do business.
“I see that there are many women organisations around,” she said.
“Often, they do not connect with each other but carry on doing business amongst their own peer groups.”
Undi said she invested K300,000 into creating Pacifika Women Network trade centre.
“They were not looking for a leader, they needed a driver,” she said.
“That’s where I stepped in to drive these women.
“I don’t call myself a leader, I call myself a driver.
“If women can come together, we can be champions, we can change the society.”
Undi said she told women at the trade centre not to compete against each other but work together and empower one another.
The overarching strategies of the plan were:

  • To promote and facilitate women business and connect women communities;
  • create conditions and opportunities for women and girls to thrive and learn; and,
  • Invest in organisational sustainability and growth.

Witnessing the occasion was Commerce and Industry Minister Wera Mori, staff and members of Small and Medium Enterprises Corporation (Smec), representatives from the US Embassy, Australian High Commission, Fiji High Commission, ExxonMobil PNG, Southern Cross Assurance and other invited guests.
SMEC presented K25,000, part of the K50,000 commitment it made during the opening of PWN.
The strategic business plan is set to roll out starting with 45 stalls already in the PWN trade centre.
A further 40 stalls are currently under construction.
PWN plans to take 50 women to India for a business tour in November.