1. Craft Markets / Sales Exhibitions

Sales Exhibitions are organized on a periodic basis in different regions to enable geographical diversification as well as boost existing sales and enhance marketing competencies of women entrepreneurs.

From July 2023 to June 2024, the National Women Entrepreneur Council (NWEC) in collaboration with partners such as the Prime Minister’s Office (Emmanuel Anquetil Esplanade, Port Louis), Grand Bay Coeur de Ville, Flacq Coeur de Ville, Coeur de Ville Tamarin, Riverside Shopping Mall, Landscope Mauritius, Mahogany Shopping Mall, Veranda Resorts (Paul et Virginie Hotel Grand Gaube, Palmar, Tamarin, Pointe aux Biches) , Vivea Business Park, Quartiers des Serres, Victoria Urban Terminal, Le Defi Media Group amongst others for various occasions such as for Chinese festival, Easter, Mother’s Day, Divali, Christmas & End of Year Celebrations.

191 Craft Markets/Sales Exhibitions have been organized from July 2023 to June 2024 across the island.  1591 participants have been able to sell and market their locally made products in these events. 5 Women entrepreneurs participated in the 5^th Regional COMFWB Trade fair in Madagascar.

2. Sensitization Campaigns

Sensitization campaigns have been conducted in different talks to potential and existing women entrepreneurs. These events have been led in collaboration with Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports & Recreational, Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (FAREI), Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare (Social Welfare Centres and Community Centres), National Women’s Council, National Empowerment Foundation and other partners to enable potential and existing women entrepreneurs to have access to information regarding facilities offered by NWEC to start and develop their enterprises.

From July 2023 to June 2024, the Business Development Officers have conducted 9 sensitization campaigns across the island. Some 319 potential & existing Women Entrepreneurs have benefitted from the sensitization campaigns.

3. Training Programmes / Skills Development Programmes

From July 2023 to June 2024, 24 training courses in collaboration with Mauritius Digital Promotion Agency (Ex-National Computer Board), University of Mauritius, UNDP, Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (FAREI), National Cooperative College (NCC) in the fields of Digital and online Marketing (Basic & Intermediate),  Social Media Marketing/Management, Costing and Finance, Ayurvedic Massage, Garment Making, Fancy Jewellery, Herb Cultivation and Processing, Bio Farming, HACCP amongst others have been carried out and 637 women entrepreneurs have benefitted from the above training courses. The objective was to motivate, empower and enhance skills of Women Entrepreneurs.

4. Sectoral Workshops

From July 2023 to June 2024, 6 Sectoral Workshops have been organized in the sectors of Agri-Business, Textile and Handicraft in collaboration with Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (FAREI) and Academy of Design and Innovation (ADI) respectively.  124 Women Entrepreneurs have attended the workshops.

The Sectoral Workshops have allowed women entrepreneurs to upgrade their products and become more competitive. Innovative techniques and research findings in the relevant sectors have been explained to the participants. 

5. Multi-Stakeholder Capacity Building Dialogues for Women and Youth in

Business in collaboration with COMESA Delegation on the 50 Million Women African Speak Platform – 28 & 29 November 2023

On 28 November 2023, the forum was attended by women entrepreneurs from Mauritius and Rodrigues and Youth. The event mainly consisted of Official Ceremony, knowledge-sharing sessions by COMESA focusing on presentations followed by interactive and capacity building sessions characterised by panel discussions, Q&As and trainings.

100 women entrepreneurs attended the workshop at Caudan Arts Centre, Port-Louis.

Futhermore, the event held on 29 November 2023 comprised of meetings between the COMESA delegation and key stakeholders in the spheres of gender mainstreaming and women and youth empowerment to further identify gaps and opportunities for collaboration to enhance the implementation of the 50 Million African Women Speak Platform.

24 Stakeholders attended the workshop at the seat of the NWEC, Phoenix.

6. National Women Entrepreneurs Award 2024

For the occasion of the International Women’s Day 2024, the National Women Entrepreneur Council (NWEC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare organised the National Women Entrepreneurs Award 2024 for its registered members on 25 February 2024 at SVICC, Pailles.

The Award Ceremony will be held on 19 March 2024 at the National Women Development Centre, Phoenix.

The main objective of the NWE Award 2024 was to recognise the overall excellence and achievements of women entrepreneurs registered with the Council.

The Award aimed at recognizing the overall excellence and achievements of women entrepreneurs, registered with the National Women Entrepreneur Council. It celebrated the women entrepreneurs behind a game-changing environment. In doing so, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare sought to raise awareness of the need for more women entrepreneurs, and hence create role models for the next generation to follow their footsteps.

100 women entrepreneurs had submitted their Business Plan and Film or Pictures of Products.   

After screening of the Technical Committee, 12 women entrepreneurs were shortlisted and 3 Best Women Entrepreneurs were nominated.

7. Capacity Building for Officers from SILWF, NWC, Social Welfare Division

The 3 Capacity Building Programmes for Officers were organized to inform officers of the Community Centres, Social Welfare Centres, Home Economics Unit and Women Centres on different facilities and services provided by different stakeholders such as Registrar of Business, SME Mauritius, Cooperatives Division, Ministry of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives and DBM Ltd as regards to women who want to start their own businesses.  236 Officers attended to the workshops at the Surinam Social Welfare Centre, National Women Development Centre, Phoenix and Plaines des Papayes Multi-Purpose Hall

8. Dialogue for Women Entrepreneurs

5 Dialogues for Women Entrepreneurs were organized at the District Council of Grand Port, Rose Belle, National Co-operatives College, NWEC – Phoenix and Riche Mare Community Centre respectively to inform our registered women entrepreneurs on facilities and different schemes available by DBM, Cooperatives Division & SME Mauritius, also to collect feedback on actual services offered by NWEC and come up with new suggestions.  227 women entrepreneurs attended the Dialogues.

9. Meeting with Women Entrepreneurs – Project under National Resilience Fund

The National Women Entrepreneur Council is organising a Capacity Building Programme for Women Entrepreneurs under National Resilience Fund.

The objectives of the training are to:

• promote women entrepreneurship among potential and existing women entrepreneurs by providing a supportive ecosystem for new women entrepreneurs to join;
• assist existing women entrepreneurs to grow and to develop new and formal businesses, and
• ensure economic growth through employment and empowerment.

A first meeting was held on 30 May 2024 with the applicants at the seat of the NWEC to inform the women entrepreneurs would be eligible for the technical training and the Women Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Programme as well as mentoring services.

Till date, 1063 active women entrepreneurs are registered with the NWEC.  Out of which 28 women entrepreneurs residing in Rodrigues are registered with the Council.