A training program to empower women through entrepreneurship has commenced in Addu City. The program is a joint effort between South Community Empowerment Association (SCEAM) and Majoie Maldives.
The program named “Beyond Sustainable” is targeted at stay-at home women who have not received any employment opportunities, to pave way for them to earn a sustainable income.
The workshop will be held in four different areas of Addu City, the first of which is Meedhoo. It is being conducted in Meedhoo in association with Meedho Ekuveringe Chain.
A total of five women from Meedhoo and five women from Hulhudhoo are taking part in the program which will give them vocational training and teach them how to earn an income through the vocation.
The facilitator of this program is Ms. Nadiya, the owner of Majoie Maldives. Ms. Nadiya, a Moroccan, has years of experience in conducting such programmes successfully.
While this program will be conducted for a period of two years, participants will be taught how to make soaps and scented candles, which will be marketed and promoted by Majoie Maldives.
Speaking at the ceremony held at Kaaduge, Meedhoo to inaugurate the workshop, Ms. Nadiya said that the first thing she noticed upon her arrival at Addu City is that women of Addu were self-employed, economically independent women in the 1970s. She also noted the contribution of those women towards manufacturing products for large brands in the factories of Gan during the British colonization.
Additionally, Ms. Nadiya also mentioned that the lack of such employment opportunities is unfortunate for women, and that it is high time for everyone to work together reopen the factories again.
“The role of women declined with the introduction of tourism in Maldives. Most husbands are in resorts. Women are waiting at home taking care of their families, waiting for their husbands to send money. The woman does not have much power in the family. She has to rely on her husband for everything. Instead of that, women need to learn a vocation they can do at home and become economically independent”, said Ms. Nadiya.
Majority of the participants of Meedhoo’s workshop said that although they have very high hopes from the training, they usually have to aimlessly wait for a long time without knowing how to utilise the skills learnt from the training to proceed further ahead. However, they noted that it is a wonderful opportunity as this training program does not only teach them the skills, but also helps them manufacture and market the products in the future.
