NHO facilitating south to south cooperation among sister organizations

NNWE, FMEA and NHO delegates

The two women associations Angola Federation of Women Entrepreneurs ( FMEA) and Neca’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women ( NNWE) from Angola and Nigeria had meetings in Nigeria from the 24th to the 27th of October 2011. The purpose of the study visit was to get to know each other, to learn from each other and to exchange experiences to promote south – south co operations.

FMEA is a member of CCIA and other national and international bodies. It has chapters in all 18 provinces of Angola and is having TOTAL and MINFAMU (Ministry of Family and Women Promotion) as its partners. As of to-day FMEA has close to 3000 member companies covering a good variety of activities.

NNEW is now well established in two districts, Lagos and Abuja in Nigeria and is planning to open up a third chapter in the near future. NNEW has more than 350 women entrepreneurs as members.

Exchange of experiences was the main issue on the agenda as women from both organizations expressed appreciation to the NHO for its work and contribution through financial support and expertise as well as to the ILO for the invaluable activities it organizes for the advancement of women entrepreneurs.

“A September to remember” is one of the activities organized by NNEW which was mentioned in one of the several meetings that were held during the study visit. This activity invited women to take care of themselves and each other. Ms Adenike Ogunlesi who is the president of NNEW was satisfied with the activity and describes it as a big success.

The various presentations included issues on challenges faced by women entrepreneurs from both countries as well as ideas on how to overcome these. Topics such as funding, political structures, capacity building, access to finance for the members, credit schemes among many others were discussed in detail. The ladies also took time to visit some companies owned by some of their counterparts.

Among the speakers was Ms Adenike Ogunlesi, who is the president of NNEW and Ms Maria do Carmo, who is president of FMEA as well as Ms Lassaleth Gonsalves one of the entrepreneurs from Luanda Norte Province in Angola, who had a motto to share despite all the challenges she described, “ When united women’s groups walk along together, the world is making progress”.

In summing up the ladies agreed to keep close contact with each other through the internet and suggestions came forward for a follow up visit by the Nigerian women and participation in the FMEA meeting which is to take place in Cabinda, Angola in March 2012.