Breaking Business Barriers in Maritime
When Alumita Tuila and her husband, Navitalai Veitala opened their bakery business in Galoa Village, Kadavu, they started with producing nine loaves of bread in one batch in a small oven.
Today they produce close to 40 loaves in one batch where three batches are baked in a day, feeding 150 households with freshly baked bread.
Their business, Goodness Investment Bakery, was officially opened by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and SMEs, Manoa Kamikamica on Wednesday.
Their business grew thanks to Government’s Human Resource Development Programme under the Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives, SMEs & Communications, where they received $10,000 in funding for their project, and a further $5000 was secured through the Fiji Development Bank’s (FDB) Women Entrepreneurs Loan Package.
Mrs Veitala said in four months of operation, they were able to earn more than $7000, allowing them to pay off their $5000 loan with FDB.
They have also become employers for the villagers, having three staff members on hand.
“The grant was indeed a great blessing and has greatly improved the quality and quantity of services, contributing to the improvement in the status of our island village community,” Mrs Veitalas said.
Mr Kamikamica acknowledged the perseverance put in the establishment of Goodness Investment Bakery and commended the couple for breaking business barriers in the maritime islands, especially for a village like Galoa, that is located far from the centralised Vunisea area.
“Since the purchase of the bakery equipment and implements, I am pleased to hear that Mrs Veitala has been able to increase her supply of bread to the people of Kadavu,” Mr Kamikamica said.
“She is an inspiration to many women entrepreneurs in the Eastern Division, proving that if you are determined, then there is no obstacle too difficult to overcome.”