BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE
SIWIBA’s first market for 2018 took place at the Girls Guide headquarters yesterday.
Speaking at the program, Australian High Commission’s programme manager working with SIWIBA, Mrs Vanessa Teutao congratulated the association and its members for their work and making the event happen.
She also commended the Secretariat and Board for coming together and ensuring there is strong leadership as the search for a new CEO continues.
Mrs Teutao stated that while Australia supports initiatives like the SIWIBA market, formerly known as “Mere’s market”, they are also working together to ensure that there are plans in place to keep providing the technical support necessary for the organisation’s continuance.
She stressed that one of their development programmes involving SIWIBA is in the area of women’s economic empowerment.
“When women are able to actively participate economically like they are doing here today, everyone benefits. Men, women, boys and girls,” said Mrs Teutao.
She furthered that there are reasons why economic empowerment of women in Solomon Islands is critical to development in the country thus they are proud to be supporting this through the work SIWIBA is doing.
