The Nadoi Women’s Club is the latest group to directly benefit from a Government-funded assistance that saw the opening of their new Women Centre.
The Minister Dr Jiko Luveni was the chief guest at the official opening of the Nadoi Women’s Centre in Nadoi village in Rewa yesterday. The centre has been built with a funding of $5000 from the Ministry along with a contribution of $1000 by the Nadoi village committee.
Dr Luveni said that newly opened Nadoi Centre will enable women to venture into commercial activities and equip them with skills to strengthen their abilities to make positive changes in their homes and communities.
“The Ministry in partnership with its stakeholders will provide training activities to support their income generating projects and will also strengthen their entrepreneurship capability. A networking is also established between the Ministry and Nadoi women’s club, making it easy for them to access any of our empowerment programs dealing with women’s health, addressing violence, acquiring financial literacy training to name a few,” Minister Luveni said.
The leaders in Nadoi have acknowledged the government for funding this women’s centre and initiating dialogue on ways to further improve their livelihood.
Mrs Elenoa Vakarewa, the leader of Nadoi Women’s Club said through the centre, women will be able to earn more income for their families.
“There are 45 members in our club that was formed in 2010 and since then we have been depended on activities like baking, selling roti parcel and sewing to support our families. We had spoken to Dr Luveni about the need to have a women’s centre in 2012 when she first visited us. We are so proud to say that we have a government that genuinely cares for the women and reaches out to them through projects such as the one witnessed today.
“Through this centre, we hope to expand production on bread baking and take catering orders for bigger events like weddings. We also hope to buy a deep freeze in which women can store the fish, prawns and crabs which they will sell in the Suva market. We also look forward for our weekly women’s meeting which will now be held at this centre and participate into awareness programs that will be facilitated by the Ministry. The opening of this new centre has given a new and better beginning for Nadoi women,” Mrs Vakarewa said.
Mr Neori Vuidreke, turaga-ni-koro for Nadoi said that through the centre, men have learnt about the importance of women and their economic contribution into village development.
“Through Dr Luveni’s earlier discussions with us, the men had the opportunity to learn about the importance of gender equality and thus they have gladly given their support through constructing this first women’s centre in Nadoi village,” he said.
The Ministry has received a budgetary allocation of $180,000 this year to build these infrastructures throughout Fiji. Since 2010 the Ministry has assisted 45 women groups to build these centres, with 4 new women resource centres and 13 women centre extensions already identified for opening this year.
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