Hilda Mondo shares her advice for aspiring designers By Jernese Macanawai “Did I make the right decision?” was a question Papua New Guinea-born fashion designer, Hilda Loii Mondo asked herself after launching her own label. Making clothes was just a hobby for Mondo, who emigrated to Fiji three years ago. […]
By Jernese Macanawai What started as a modest fashion show three years ago has grown into a major platform for emerging local designers and artisans to showcase their work. The Makete fashion show was created as the Suva Flea Market launched its Visual Arts store and Business Hub, initiatives designed […]
The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) is introducing a dedicated Women in Business (WIB) component at the South Pacific Tourism Exchange (SPTE) 2026. This milestone initiative is designed to celebrate, support, and elevate women-led small businesses and associations across the Pacific tourism sector. SPTE, which is scheduled for March 25-26, will […]
The Fiji Agri-Innovate Competition 2025 organised by Business Assistance Fiji in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce and Business Development and the Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways, has recognised three agricultural enterpreneurs for their visions. Joeli Waqanivalu of Island Eco-Smart, Subahsni Shobna Lal of Freedom Farm and Jashnita Reddy Lal […]
The ANZ bank has announced that Sohaib Mahmood has been appointed as Country Head, Fiji. He will take on the role in addition to his current responsibilities as Head of Commercial Banking, Pacific, subject to regulatory approvals. Mahmood has lived and worked in the Pacific since 2013 and brings more than 20 years of […]
By Annette Sete I am a woman in business in Papua New Guinea. This is my 11th year managing a small business. The business focuses on sharing our people’s journeys and cultures through prints on fabric and women’s clothing items, such as meri blouses / kolos, and PNG-themed gifts, including handmade […]
By Ema Ganivatu 21 graduates from across Fiji have each received $5,000 under the country’s first-ever Graduate Business Start-Up Grant Scheme, launched by the Coalition Government. The initiative, introduced in the 2024–2025 National Budget, aims to support innovative and scalable business ideas from tertiary graduates. It forms part of a […]
By Ema Ganivatu More than 100 women have graduated in the fifth cohort of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) and are ready to level up their small businesses. Since its launch in 2020, AWE has mentored nearly 600 Fijian women, equipping them with the tools to start and expand […]
While we know that micro, small, and medium businesses (MSMEs) are at the heart of the Pacific economy, many lenders consider them too risky for loans. They are seen as lacking collateral, having poor financial records, and being overly labour-intensive to monitor. Without access to finance, these businesses cannot grow. […]
The National newspaper/Pacnews (Buka) Francesca Semoso is making it her business to empower women and youth on Bougainville to build their business knowledge and skills using simple innovative ideas and the resources in their communities. Semoso is a firm believer that information is power. A former broadcaster and politician, Semoso […]
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