Economic empowerment of women vital for better lives
“THE economic contribution of women is vital in communal and national development, and this must be utilised so we can raise the standard of living in villages.”
These were the sentiments of 56-yearold Timaima Ana, an executive member of the Seatura Women’s Club in the village of Driti, located in the interior of Dama, in Bua.
The club has been operating a fish pond for more than a decade, utilising the skills of the women in the village to generate income and make life easier for the 30 families in the community.
Due to its geographical location, the tilapia pond has provided fish supply to the villagers who used to travel for many kilometres to buy fish, and this has generated income for the club.
“It was through the project, the club has purchased a truck for the village, done maintenance of the church, contributed to functions and other tasks that we’ve been asked to assist the Vanua with,” Ms Ana said.
“We were assisted with solar, and fencing materials by the Ministry, and we are truly grateful for the assistance rendered by the Government to ensure that we can elevate our local communities.”
Meanwhile, she has called on women in rural areas especially in villages to not allow the labels of society to dampen their spirit and discourage from reaching their maximum potential and fulfilling their purpose in nation building.
“We all have resources and talents that we must use for income generation, so we could help build our communities.”
The Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, Kalaveti Ravu, while touring the project facility commended the women for the initiative, stating the importance of utilising available resources to generate income.
Minister Ravu highlighted on the Memorandum of Understanding that was recently signed between his ministry and the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, allowing them to work together in ensuring that resourcebased sectors would be the backbone in helping raise the standard of living in the communities.