Outcome PNG_D_2.2

Socio-economic security of urban and rural women improved

Urban and rural market vendors and people with disabilities increased their income through product diversification. Increased livelihood options (baking, Sewing and Agriculture products) enabled market vendors to increase their income base and have some savings. Market vendors gained various knowledge and skills on improving the quality of their products as well as diversifying their livelihood options through UN Women, supported livelihood training workshops. UN Women complemented the livelihood training workshops by supporting market vendors with livelihood equipment which include sewing machines and baking stoves. Three hundred and sixty-seven market vendors benefited from this livelihood equipment and were already using the equipment. Financial literacy and business development training enhanced market vendors knowledge and skills on business and financial management. The BDSS training workshops were rolled out through 84 market vendors and market management trained as Trainer of Trainers (ToT) and reached 381 vendors (64M, 315F) in Alotau (13M, 18F), Daru (18M,F17), Boroko (3M, 33F), Gordons (5M, 16F), Waigani (4M, 22F), 6-Mile Incubation (2 M, 22F), Lae (5, 28), Goroka (2M, 12F), Mt Hagen (2M, 21F), Tari (3M, 32F), Wewak (1M, 26F), Vanimo (4M, 23F) and Kimbe (2M, 25F). The roll-out commenced in October and ended in December 2023. With all the training and support provided market vendors were confident to diversify their business line rather than concentrating on one product. In Wewak Mrs Linda Ipma a regular local Spice vendor developed her own supply chain for spices products through contracting farmers to grow coloured vegetables such as shallots, tomatoes, pepper, beans, ginger, chillies and supply directly to her. Mrs Linda collects the products on her own and supplies the products to the supermarkets and restaurants as well as individuals in the market. Mrs Linda further embark on value addition by drying the spices, packaging, and selling to the same customers. During the market assessment focus group discussions, market vendors reported that they were running their businesses professionally by keeping product records and banking their money earned from selling their products. Products record keeping and banking, reduced the risk of losing the money through theft and also helped market vendors to assess their business whether they were making a profit or not, also enables them to improve the quality of products as well as diversifying the products.