By Kumba Leigh
The Gambia Women Chamber of Commerce (GWCC), a Non-Governmental Organisation, was established on the 9th of January 2019, with the aim of providing opportunities, and visibility for women in business; educate, empower, mentor and promote women’s businesses.
Its mission is to foster meaningful business relationships among members, delivering unique business programmes, and hosting creative member events to enhance the capacities, and competencies of women in trade, finance and economic opportunities, advisory services, access to finance, support base, and digitalisation.
In this exclusive interview, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GWCC, Beatrice Mboge highlighted the organisation’s interventions, achievements and impact, as well as challenges over the past four years. Some members of the organization also shared their views as they celebrate four years anniversary of their founding.
Ms Mboge said there has been immense improvement in women’s economic empowerment, and participation in business through collaboration, and trade integration through the support base they have created for women in businesses, and entrepreneurship.
“We have increased members’ access to finance, and credit facilities for women through access to markets by creating opportunities for their participation in business expos, fora, conferences, and viable digital business model especially during the time of Covid 19â€.
Madam Mboge revealed that the GWCC has been able to recruit three hundred (300) members in all regions, including the just concluded National Youth, Women, and Agri-business Tourism Trade Fair.
She said they have enabled some members attend both the OIC trade fair in Dakar (Senegal) and in Istanbul (Turkey) on book keeping, business management, business plan, business profiling, and accounts.
Highlighting the challenges, the CEO said mobilising funds, particularly in the time of Covid 19 pandemic was a big problem. She also mentioned difficulty encountered in getting members renew their membership, as well as accessibility of their building by the differently-able persons and lack of official vehicle.
She appealed to The Gambia government and philanthropists for support, adding that unregistered businesses should endeavour to register their businesses with the Attorney General’s Chambers before paying 3,000 only for certification including other benefits, and opportunities in GWCC.
Some of the registered business women, and members also spoke to Gambia Daily about their businesses and their experiences with GWCC.
Isatou Badjie, GWCC member engaged in poultry, and food processing business, informed that she was the first member, as she joined Gambia Women Chamber of Commerce in 2019. She expressed satisfaction and delight with GWCC, saying GWCC is established to help, and give guidance to business women. “At the time of my joining GWCC, my business was not fully established. But since joining the organisation my business has been upgraded, refurbished, and exposed. I have become more creative, and my business is now exposed to lots of trainings. I have even traveled to both Maryland in America, and Turkey for business conferences. Those experiences have equipped me with the needed skills, and knowledge for a quality business, †Madam Badjie attested.
Fatou Ceesay, also a member of GWCC, is a caterer at Basse Kabakanma, URR. She revealed that she was a teacher before she started doing pastry and catering business. She attested to the fact that the organisation has positively impacted her business. “Since I registered my business with Gambia Women Chamber of Commerce, I have been receiving assistance. I have become well-known around my surrounding and across all regions due to the recently concluded trade fair. The organisation exposed me to food processing, business management, business formalisation, B2B, and packaging, she stated.
For Isatou Gano, as differently-able food processing business woman, GWCC is worthy of commendation for creating such business opportunities for persons living with disabilities. She said despite her disability, GWCC proves to her that she is able, and thus trusted her with a business.
Madam Gano narrated: “I started with waste management, but this organisation introduced me to food processing and involved me in a rigorous training on food processing. Thank God I am now fully equipped with the knowledge and I am benefiting from itâ€.
Ndey Fatou Ceesay, merchandise business woman; and Fatou Ceesay Gailen, fashion designer, both expressed similar sentiments, relishing the fact that women are now exposed to lots of opportunities including trainings: on record keeping, standard packaging, and labeling. Such training, they informed, was recently held at Pakalinding in Jarra Soma, LRR.
