BUSINESSWOMEN in the Western Division have been encouraged to send their entries for the Women in Business (WIB) Awards, scheduled for March this year.

Secretariat Alisi Cava says a luncheon was held recently in Nadi to promote this idea among women.

“The whole idea of this was to promote the awards and round up as many applications as possible,” she said.

To help the women with the application process, WIB president Dr Nur Bano Ali, western executive representative Egi Tikoi Dodd, executive member Sarah Jane Wild and Ms Cava had made themselves available in Nadi last Friday.

Ms Ali said they were excited to have received some applications in all the four categories such as Business Woman of the Year, Executive Woman of the Year, Manager of the Year and Aspiring Entrepreneur of the Year. Additionally, Ms Ali adds, they have received applications for the Employer of Choice for Women as well.

“WIB was established 16 years ago in order to promote and facilitate the economic and commercial interest of women and works to encourage and stimulate in women a realisation, and acceptance of their responsibility in the community, nationally and internationally,” she says. “The encouragement of women to acquire education and occupational competencies by providing assistance through the networking facilities of other affiliated women’s organisations.”

WIB is driven by an executive board of eight professional women from diverse business and commercial backgrounds engaged in leadership roles in various key Fijian institutions. The closing date for the applications is on February 8.