More than forty small businesses gathered at Vabukori village near Port Moresby on Saturday to sell their products at an organized Pop- Up market aimed to empower Small to Medium Enterprises operating in the village.
Product displays ranged from body ornaments to unique crafts, cooked food to garden flowers, sculptures to clothing brands, weaved baskets to mats.
Crystal Sariman, a local seller, says her village is known for producing good volleyball players but the SME market provided a platform for her village to exceed other talents apart from playing volleyball.
Vabukori SME market is another SME elevating series of shows that aims to empower Moresby South – Motu Koitabu villages, to continue doing business in these trying times.
Lead organizer for the event, Anna B. Skate, said the women in the village were badly affected since the first COVID-19 lockdown.
“This is not a time to give up, we want everybody to be economically empowered, educated and keep moving forward” Skate said.
The first pop up market was in Pari Village in December 2020, the second was in Kirakira village followed by the recent Vabukori SME Market. The next one will be held in Mahuru village, all within the Moresby South electorate.
Since the SME agenda was revised in 2015 with a new policy that promotes inclusive economic growth, through employment and wealth creation, many new SME’s sprouted. A few of these SMEs have found their market while others are still struggling to find a niche.
By Rosemary Yambune
