THE three-day Northwest Women’s Forum Expo featured products created by women graduates of the Ba Women’s Forum’s training program, including quality control, introductory, and marketing programs.
The expo at the Gujarati grounds in Ba brought together over one hundred women from Ba, Tavua, Vatukoula, and Rakiraki to showcase their work.
Forum president Dr Maria Dotton said the expo also promoted the development of high-quality, authentic local products. Top products selected at this stage will advance to regional and national expos next year.
“So, what we’re trying to do now is to make an authentic product that we can proudly say is made in Fiji,” Dr Dotton said, adding that some products claim to be manufactured locally but were packaged and manufactured in other countries.
“In this expo, these products are showcased, and they were given real recognition, and the community also has a chance to see what is new (and) what was taught to these ladies.”
Dr Dotton said a panel of judges visited each table last Thursday, with a winner announced towards the end of the week.
“Now that we have started, we are hoping to have it annually because the national expo is annually.”
Ms Dotton added that the event’s success indicated that the forum was capable of hosting it yearly.
“Our training is extended to women in Fiji who are interested in coming because we have graduated more than 1400 ladies already.”
