Fiji may soon have village markets that will only sell locally made Fijian handicrafts and art by our women around the country.

This was revealed by Minister for Women Mereseini Vuniwaqa at the ‘Women on the Frontline’ Conference in Lautoka on the weekend.

She says her ministry will this week host a group of experts from Bangladesh who are bringing to Fiji ideas of establishing Aarong’s or village markets for women.

“Aarong has become a franchise in Bangladesh. It’s basically a shop you go to when you go to a city and when you say the word Aarong people automatically connect it to women and fine art. That’s what this has done. The work of art for women. So the executives of Aarong are coming to Fiji to see how they can replicate that model in Fiji for our Fijian women and their art.”

Vuniwaqa says this is a good move as the national women’s expo last month proved that Fijian women have many hidden potentials that needs to be tapped into.

This will be a good place to display their art instead of waiting for the yearly women’s expo.

Vuniwaqa says this will also be a good way to encourage women to produce more marvelous art and handicrafts.