Women in local markets and commercial areas

Twelve pilot projects, four months in duration, were sponsored between 1987 and 1989 to help NGO"s, UN organizations, and governmental bodies to support initiatives by women to own and operate small business activities. Five types of businesses were set up: women"s corners (sections of a market where women sell goods directly to customers), restaurants, retail shops, a job-placement service, and a mini-dairy farmer. Participants in these ventures were mostly destitute or low- income women, although a couple of projects also involved middle- class women. Project outcomes have been very encouraging -- ten projects are still in business, and participants" incomes have increased and their confidence has blossomed. Women"s corners, which altogether involved more than 100 women, are the most successful venture. They are inexpensive to set up and relatively simple to manage. Restaurants have also been profitable and have the potential for replication. Retail shops present more challenges to organizers. The pilot projects taught many lessons. Most important among them are that prudent participant selection is crucial and that finding the right degree of supervision can be difficult. Also, four months is too short a period for most ventures to get up and running. Finally, the report notes that breaking the market taboo requires further effort and suggests several strategies for promoting women"s commercial ventures. (Author abstract, modified)