NCD launches initiatives to help women’s businesses

THE National Capital District Small Medium Enterprise (NCDSME) Centre has launched three initiatives to support women-led SMEs, NCD governor Powes Parkop says.
“The initiatives include a revolving fund, incentive top-up and monthly NCD SME fair,” he said.
According to a statement, Parkop said the fund would help individuals with start-up capital.
The individuals would repay whatever was provided so that others could benefit from the fund.
The centre will keep track of the SME performance and, if successful, it would provide a top-up of 100 per cent on the amount saved.
Another initiative was a monthly NCD SME fair scheduled for launching end of this month.
The fair will be held at strategic locations in the city to promote SME products.
“Let us make it happen in Port Moresby. Let us create success stories out of small businesses,” Parkop said, adding that the centre supported the launch of 10 women associations at the 5-Mile Gordon’s ridge area.
“The centre has been established to assist those who venture into SME business and to make sure they succeed,” he said.
“The strategy is to empower women to utilise their skills and knowledge, support them financially so that they do well in business and create better outcomes for the development of this city and the nation,” he added.
Parkop said men had dominated all sectors for the last few decades and it was time to provide women the same opportunity.
He urged women entrepreneurs to take advantage of the 2016 SME policy launched by the Government to create a platform for 500,000 SMEs in the country by 2030.
“The big challenge for us now is that we only have eight and a half years before 2030.”
“If we cannot reach the target in such a short period, then we must at least look at 50,000 SMEs being fully-functional nationwide,” he said.
Parkop urged women to seriously pursue their dream and work hard to transform the SME policy into a reality.