Page 10 - SPBD Businesswoman of the year awards 2021

SPBD

SPBD COVID-19 BUSINESS RESILIENCE OF THE YEAR 2021

Viniana Loloyavura, Valelevu Centre, Suva

Vinana “Our daily and weekly sales were at an all-time low. At times,
Loloyavura customers could not afford to buy some of our produce, pro-
(left) of duce that they could buy in pre-COVID times,” said Loloya-
Valelevu vura.
Sisters in She revealed working with nearby farmers has been the key to
Action is keeping her business afloat during these uncertain times. “To
the winner save transportation costs and gain fresh produce, we opted to
of SPBD’s buy fresh produce from nearby farms in Kalabu and Wainibu-
COVID-19 ku. This strategy was to our advantage, as we saved money.”
Business
Resilience of Loloyavura plans to open a food stall alongside her market
the Year 2021 enterprise in the near future.
award!
This special SPBD COVID-19 BUSINESS
award hon- RESILENCE OF THE
ours SPBD
members who have showcased resilience and adaptability to YEAR FINALIST
the new normal brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Congratulations to COVID-19 Business
Loloyavura is a full-time market vendor along the Nasinu Resilience award finalist and market
corridor. She established her business in 2015 with SPBD’s vendor, Vani Ranadi of Lakena Centre
support. in Suva, who has also displayed
The Valelevu vendor said she encountered high transporta- resilience and adaptability to the new
tion costs, restrictive curfew hours, and low produce sales normal brought about by the COVID-19
during the pandemic last year. pandemic!

SME BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR 2021

Vasemaca Aditukana, Northland Korovou, Suva (two-time winner)

Vasemaca “enabled women to discover the gifts and talents that would
Aditukana (left) otherwise be left unused,” she said.
of Korovou “There is no limit to what women can accomplish,” said the
Northland Centre 50-year-old businesswoman. “SPBD has empowered us to
is SPBD’s SME be stronger mothers and providers, and that we play a very
Businesswoman of important role in our homes and society as a whole.”
the Year 2021!
The award honours SPBD SME BUSINESSWOMAN OF
SPBD members THE YEAR FINALIST
who have success-
fully transformed
their micro busi- Congratulations to SME award
nesses into SMEs. They must be an existing SME borrower. finalist, Milika Levukana
of Lakena Centre in Suva
Aditukana is a thriving market vendor, selling fresh vegeta- who has also successfully
bles, fish and yaqona. Since joining the organisation in 2017, transformed her four micro
she has expanded her SME to include bee keeping and mobile businesses in selling barbecue,
catering. poultry, a retail shop, and a

The two-time award winner acknowledges SPBD for its roadside vegetable stall into
continued support towards women in rural areas, which has SMEs!

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