Monrovia – She started as a local business woman selling cold water, ice, dry rice with fired fish and cool aid but with determination, she has grown as a local successful business woman owing the famous ice cream shop – Shark’s Ice Cream.
Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]
Like many others, Eyvonne Bright Harding lacked support at the initial stages of her business.
She has challenged other Liberian business not to stop fighting for what is of importance to their business.
“Running a business in Liberia as a Liberian is very challenging but the Ministry of Commerce can make it easier for us local business owners. Capacity building and access to finance is some of the major challenges faced by Liberian businesses, she noted
“We need to be patient and we must stand for what we believe in.”
Serving as keynote speaker at the official opening ceremony of the SBA 2016 National MSME Conference and Made in Liberia Trade Fair & Rubber Wood Furniture Exhibition, Harding challenged government to do more to protect local Liberian businesses and provide the environment for people to do business freely with access to capital.
She has been one of the loud voices against foreigners doing business which are exclusively for Liberians.
For his part Commerce Minister Axel Addy said with over 49% of the Liberian population, women make nearly half of society but studies conducted shows that they remain under represented among the ranks of entrepreneurs and excluded from crucial economic activities.
According to him, most women-owned businesses were found in less productive sectors and remained largely invisible in corporate and government supply chains.
“In order to promote women’s entrepreneurship and create more women-owned businesses, I am proud to announce that with this year’s theme: “Promoting Women Entrepreneurship for Economic empowerment” we will focus in particular on the vital role women play in our economy,” Addy said.
The four-day conference, according to the commerce minister, will provide room for discussion between key stakeholders from the public and private sectors regarding the challenges women face in running their business and what policy makers, business community and civil society could do to advance their roles in business and society.
He believed that economically empowered women are known to make more investments in their children’s health and education than their male counterparts-investments. “Support to women will therefore have a transformative impact on our country as a whole,” he stated.
Every year, the conference and trade fair helps to facilitate the closure of new deals which lead to the growth of some participants.
“We are particularly excited to hold the second edition of our entrepreneur-plus program, a two-year IFC and MoCI co-sponsored business incubation program where the most promising young entrepreneurs of this year will constitute the second class and undergo IFC flagship business edge training matched with business innovation training,” he added.
Also speaking at the event Vice President Joseph Boakai expressed optimism that the venture will help to elevate the status of women-owned MSMEs, highlight the importance of female entrepreneurship in Liberia, as well as go a long way in changing the mindset of Liberian women so that they see entrepreneurship as a possible option for job creation and income generation.
VP Boakai said: “My hope here today is that our women are here in their numbers to put forward their own case. This hope for their significant presence springs out of the adage that ‘You cannot stop running until that which is chasing you stops running after you.”
Recent publication by the international trade Center, shows that SME competitiveness outlook , SMEs are the missing link to inclusive growth that account for approximately 60-70% of total global employment.
The study also shows that they make up over 95% of all firms and account for approximately 50% of GDP.