Page 48 - Islands Business September 2023

SPBD SPBD

THE SUCCESS BEHIND SPBD’S

LAUTOKA BRANCH

Nadi, Lautoka and Ba are some of
Fiji’s bustling spots for tourism, and
microfinance company, South Pacific
Business Development (SPBD) has
helped build and maintain thriving
women-owned businesses in these
areas. Rohit Goundan, Team Leader
for SPBD’s Lautoka Branch explains
the success behind the branch’s
performance in the first half of 2023. Rohit Goundan, Team Leader,
SPBD Lautoka Branch
Aslam Khan (middle, right) with SPBD Financial Education Facilitators of SPBD’s
Please explain the structure of SPBD’s Lautoka Branch. Lautoka Branch
There are 55 centres that come under the SPBD Lautoka
Branch. These centres are located in the Nadi-Lautoka-Ba Who are some best performing centre members that are
areas. At the branch, we have four Centre Managers: Esekaia part of SPBD’s Lautoka Branch?
Koroivaibau, Jonetani Nawaikamakama, Usaia Bogirua and me; We have got a good number of centre members with
and we have one Branch Finance Administration Assistant, businesses that are performing very well. Some of these
Naomi Kuli. members are Makelesi Naulu Satala and Ilisapeci Cilavisiga
from Namoli Vou Centre. Makelesi runs a catering business
What training has been done at SPBD’s Lautoka Branch? while Ilisapeci sells food packs and kava to earn her living and
In July, we had a three-day training for our Micro, Small and is looking to start a handicraft business as well. Other high
Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). It was facilitated in collaboration performing members are based at Tomuka Centre and Nakavu
with the Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives, SMEs and Centre. Miriama Degei from Nakavu Centre who runs multiple
Communications (MTCSMEC), and Aslam Khan was the trainer. businesses, helped SPBD reach its US$250 million loan
Financial Education Facilitators (FEFs) from 30 SPBD centres disbursement milestone in July this year.
in the Nadi-Lautoka-Ba areas attended. Most of these centre For the upcoming SPBD awards, we have nominated two
members are dairy farmers, market vendors, canteen owners, centres who are part of SPBD’s Lautoka Branch. Nakavika
caterers, as well as tailors. They also sell kava, food packs, pastry, Centre in Ba has been nominated for two awards (Best Centre
fish and other seafood. and Best Centre Chief – Mere Leba Caginitoba) and Nakavu
The outcomes were really good. We visited the members at Centre in Nadi has been nominated for two awards (Best Centre
their respective centres after the training and they said that the and Best Saver – Ananaiasa Naucukidi).
training was very informative. They have understood the ways It’s also important to mention that we’ve opened some new
of doing business and making it successful. In the past, they centres in Votua, Nasolo, Nailaga, Navau, Maururu, Joritani,
would run their businesses with limited knowledge and support, Namoli, Namotomoto, Yavusania, Namulomulo, Naviyago,
but since that training, they have discussed and shared with Nawakalevu, Kerebula, Emua, Natalau, Nabare, Korobebe and
other centre members the important knowledge and skills they Nakurakura. They are performing well in their savings, centre
were taught such as business registration, cash flow statement funds and group funds and in their individual businesses. They
and bookkeeping. are making payments on time, every week. All 55 centres that
are part of the Lautoka Branch are doing really well in their
At the recent SPBD team building event in Sigatoka, SPBD’s payments and savings.
Lautoka Branch was found to be the best performing branch
so far. How did the branch reach this achievement? Please explain your role as team leader and what motivates
The first six months of this year was challenging as we you to perform your role?
achieved 70% of our targets, but we managed to help our This is my first experience as a team leader and for SPBD’s
members with the benefits provided by the SPBD programme. Lautoka Branch — and as with every organisation, there are
We talked with our centre members and assisted them to targets to achieve. I look after four staff members while working
get small loans for their businesses. For two years, most of with them to achieve our targets [among other responsibilities]
their businesses were forced to close due to the COVID-19 which can be quite challenging. The support I get from my
pandemic. From last year, we helped them obtain small loans family motivates me to perform my role. I have an excellent
and encouraged them to start small businesses. As time went team and we work well together, which is a great source of
by, members managed to upgrade their businesses with higher support for me and overall, it enhances the team dynamics and
amounts of loans and achieve profits. creates a highly positive atmosphere for achieving our goals.

48 Islands Business, September 2023
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