Mauritius: At the launching that held this morning, of a three-day Sales Exhibition organised by the National Women Entrepreneur Council (NWEC), at Emmanuel Anquetil Building in Port Louis, the Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mrs Kalpana Devi Koonjoo-Shah, affirmed that Government was giving the necessary support to women entrepreneurs to maximise their potentials so that they would become economically independent and stand on their own two feet while contributing to the socio-economic development of the country.
According to Mrs Koonjoo-Shah, the NWEC, in collaboration with other parastatal bodies operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, such as the Social Welfare Division, provided training and various facilities to enhance the visibility of women entrepreneurs.
“We want women entrepreneurs to grow their business and make their voices heard in the country’s economic development,” she highlighted.
In the same vein, the Minister pointed out that the NWEC, established in 1999, had achieved sustainable growth, over the years, in four main sectors, namely agroindustry, food, handicrafts, and services provided by the Council, despite difficult times, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She informed that the NWEC, through the three-day Sales Exhibition, was giving the opportunity to some 70 women entrepreneurs to sell their products, establish fruitful contacts with customers, and acquire knowledge to expand their businesses.
The Minister also talked of measures announced in the Budget 2023-2024, including the implementation of the NWEC Action Plan to promote women entrepreneurship.
“There is no doubt that women entrepreneurs from the Republic of Mauritius have enormous potential, and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare is doing its part in promoting their activities,” underlined Mrs Koonjoo-Shah.
