Initiative to boost women

 MORE women will gain entrepreneurial skills and sell their fisheries products, thanks to Asian Development Bank’s Pacific sector private development initiative (PSDI) and the National Fisheries Authority.

These parties have forged an understanding (MoU) signed during the week to support the new PSDI pilot project aimed at empowering women in the National Capital District.

The Asian Development Bank said the pilots will begin for Vabukori and Hanuabada villages next month. The pilots would use funds provided by NFA through its fisheries credit scheme.

Project team leader and gender specialist Vijaya Nagarajan said they were expecting it to be successfulenough to target groups in other maritime provinces.

She said: “The pilot project aims to economically empower women in the fishing sector by linking the loans available through Nationwide Microbank with technical assistance provided by PSDI.

“This assistance will be in the form of skills training and business development as well as accessing supply outlets.” 

In March, NFA announced that K1 million was set aside as loans to men and women involved in the sector. Nationwide Microbank is one such institution that has the responsibility for administrating these loans. 

The conditions are that the loans will be made to people between 18-65 years of age applying through a registered entity such as a cooperative society or equivalent.

The loan will be between K1000-K50, 000 and 30% deposit in cash or kind has to be provided.