A delegation of women entrepreneurs from Fiji, recently participated in the Pacific Fair in Noumea, New Caledonia and managed to rake in an estimated $25,000 in sales from the event.

Women Entrepreneurs Business Council (WEBC) co-ordinator Fiona Uagunu said this was the first international trade fair for many of the participants.

“Most of them are their first-time attending fairs as such and it was an eye opener,” Ms Uagunu said.

“Especially in terms of seeing similar kinds of products as theirs and the value-add done on them. This is a major take back.”

She urged small business owners to embrace all opportunity to showcase their products and services without hesitation.

“While you may encounter obstacles and hurdles on your entrepreneurial journey, remember that you are the primary advocate for your products and services’ success,” she said.

Investment Fiji played a key role in facilitating the women’s participation in the Pacific Fair in collaboration with WEBC as well as the New Caledonia Trade and Invest (NCT&I).

“We are committed to supporting women entrepreneurs and helping them to succeed in the global marketplace,” Investment Fiji CEO Kamal Chetty said.

“These platforms allow businesses to find markets outside of their usual business environment as well as grasping the standards and requirements to meet the demand in the global landscape,” Mr Chetty said.

The women entrepreneurs, who participated in the Pacific Fair, are now looking at expanding their businesses into new markets and are confident that the experience gained at the fair will help them achieve this goal.

The trip was funded by the French Embassy in Fiji.