Although this is the name of the forum, it also forms a basis for discussion in my mind.
When I set up Ethnic Supplies, the idea was to seek out those ladies who were already entrepreneurs in their own right or those that belonged to co-operatives that supported/prmoted their work.
My network of friends introduced me to a women’s group in Tanzania, and told me that they had lost out on an order of 5000 summer sandals affectionately referred to as Masaai sandals. Can you imagine the finacial effects an order of that magnitude would have had on the lvies of these women?
I made enquiries as to how this order came to be missed/lost and the answer came lack of organisation and support on teh ground!
Fast forward to 2008 and the same issue cropepd up. I had an enquiry for 2000 kikoy beach bags, sent an emal through to the ladies and did not here back for over two months. It eventually transpired that the group leader’s mother in law ahd died and there was no one to oversee the group’s activities!
I am therefore very encouraged by a new scheme that can support such groups to ensure that they capitalsie on such opportunities that will enable to lift themselves out of poverty