KATHMANDU, April 3: The seventh edition of the ‘International Women’s Trade Expo’ organized by the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs' Associations of Nepal (FWEAN) concluded on Tuesday.
According to FWEAN, more than 20,000 people observed the expo, which was held from March 29 to April 2 with the slogan ‘Eat Local, Wear Local, Use Local, Support Local Entrepreneurship’.
The expo, which lasted five days, featured stalls run by indigenous women entrepreneurs selling their products. According to the organizer, sales exceeded Rs 20 million during the event.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the expo organized by FWEAN, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Damodar Bhandari said that special plans and programs will be introduced for the development of women entrepreneurship in the coming year. He said that the government will create a program to emphasize Nepali production and consumption.
"In order to increase the participation of women in indigenous industry and entrepreneurship, the ministry will bring a program with a special plan next year," he said. On the closing of the expo, Executive Director of Trade and Export Promotion Center Saroj Bikram Rana, representative of the European Union, First Vice President of FWEAN Darshana Shrestha and others expressed their opinions.
Shova Gyawali, chairperson of the expo and president of FWEAN, said that the expo proved to be a milestone in the empowerment of women along with the entrepreneurship and creativity of Nepali women.
She emphasized the need for government support and investment in empowering women through entrepreneurship. "Our youth are often away, leaving only women and daughters-in-law at home. It is crucial to engage them in entrepreneurship. The time has come for us to invest in that," she said.
She said that for the positive transformation of women-empowered society, there is a need for everyone's support and cooperation to bridge the significant gap and to fulfill the objective.
She said, “Entrepreneurs typically learn from various sources or receive guidance from federations. However, at the expo, they have the opportunity to learn directly from others who have been in similar businesses. They can discover the challenges faced, learn from mistakes, and find ways to improve their own ventures.”
At the conclusion of the fair, awards were presented to the top performers in three categories and five stalls were recognized. The Women Entrepreneurs Association, Tehrathum received the first prize, followed by Jumla in second place and Kaski in third. FWEAN honored the first, second, and third place winners with cash prizes Rs 10,000, Rs 7,000, and Rs 5,000, respectively.
Additionally, Silk Group Nepal received an award for the best in the handicraft category, and Hajuri Khadya Udhyog Pvt Ltd was honored for their agro stall. The expo saw participation from small and medium women entrepreneurs from across the country, as well as traders, women exporters, and entrepreneurs from other countries.
The expo showcased exhibition stalls featuring handicraft products, Dhaka and handmade paper items, food dishes, agricultural products, herbs, jewelry, and various other indigenous goods. The event was inaugurated by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on March 29.