Apenisa Waqairadovu 
As World MSMEs Day is being celebrated worldwide today, Minister for SMEs Manoa Kamikamica calls for support for women and youth, especially through entrepreneurial activities, to close the gaps and empower them to pursue their commercial dreams and financial independence.
Kamikamica says women and youth are not roadblocks but building blocks.
He says innovation and creativity are keys to success, and there is no doubt that women- and youth-based SMEs bring innovation to the industry.
The Minister says that over time, more women have access to a grant under the Trade Enhancement Programme for MSMEs, and this is encouraging.
“In the 2022-2023 financial year, the recipients of the grant were 72 percent women, and in the 2021-2022 financial year, it was 69 percent, and the number is growing and encouraging. Women are becoming entrepreneurial, taking the risk to start a small business to help support their families.”
Kamikamica says women entrepreneurs are setting an example that nothing is impossible.
He says the Ministry has invested over $102 million into MSMEs development through various enterprise, and livelihood development programmes.
He adds that other ministries have various grant programmes that support MSMEs development, so investment is much higher.
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