Small to Medium Entrepreneurship in Madang province is growing but there are no avenues available for these women to market their products.
This is the sentiment expressed by Pamela Eugenio who runs Niange Bilas and Fashion is a SME based in Madang province.
Eugenio who make her own earrings and necklaces says it is a sad situation that there is not much emphasis given to the SME sector in the province, as most women are trying to make ends meet because of the cost of living in the country is very high.
She makes her ear rings using a traditional rope weaved into twines and earring findings she usually orders from Bo Design, a local SME based in Kavieng.
The ear rings come in different sizes depending on the customers’ orders with prizes ranging from K20 to K50 single or in bulk orders for those reselling, and aside from Madang, she sells her handiwork to outside centres like Port Moresby, Kimbe, New Ireland and recently New Zealand.
Pamela is targeting women in all walks of life, while trying to promote fashion and self-esteem among women.
There is a high demand in this sector. But there is little opportunity available for Small to medium entrepreneurs to showcase their handiwork.
“ I had no marketing avenue for me to market my product, so I began using social media as a platform for me to create an avenue for myself and my SME.”
She says there are those who have great potential in other capacities like sewing, cooking and flora culture, but they do not have the space advantage like her.
Lava Girl entrepreneur Annette Sete remains a big inspiration for Pamela
“To be honest, the biggest inspiration came from Annette Sete from East New Britain, I thought, if she can do it why not,so I tried a number of things and that’s how I started…She’s a very big inspiration for me.”
And local authorities in Madang should provide opportunities for local entrepreneurs to grow in order to thrive.
When asked about the challenges of being in business she said.
“we need more awareness on the types of products we are doing and we need larger variety of different products and items so that SMEs can grow in PNG.”
By Martha Louis, EMTV News, Madang
