7th December 2021
Samoan Women Entrepreneurs Ready to Safeguard Businesses Against Corruption Risks
Apia, Samoa – Twenty eight women entrepreneurs around the nation participated in the Women Entrepreneur Anti-Corruption Workshop facilitated by the Samoa Chamber of Commerce & Industry, together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and support from the United NationsPacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project (UNPRAC). The two workshops were held last week on December 1 and 3 in Fagamalo, Savaii and Apia, Upolu respectively.
“I’m happy with where I am. I make a little money, but honest money and you feel better. You sleep well and your children are happy because they are not raised with dirty money. That’s where our blessing comes from,” says Netta Hartin of Netta Cakes in Fagamalo, Savaii.
These workshops were tailored for Samoan women business owners and women interested in tackling corruption risks in their own communities, by providing tools to strengthen internal controls, define compliance in their work environments and raise awareness on the local laws and institutions in place to assist women entrepreneurs to operate with integrity.
“We have heard deep insights into how corruption impacts your daily life in businesses, in the life of your family, impacts on your community, your country and its development – but at the same time, we have heard strong words of commitment, dedication, power and hope,” said Christina Mualia, Assistant Resident Representative – Governance, UNDP Samoa, recognizing that inequality and corruption hinders national and local development efforts and the key role our Samoan women play.
Throughout the one-day workshop, women participants shared their own experiences with identifying and responding to corruption threats within their business operations and communities, and explored solutions through an open exchange of views. With the participation of the Public Service Commission, through Osana Liki-Ward, women participants were empowered with a holistic understanding of how both public and private sectors remain committed to anti-corruption measures through a whole-of-society approach. More importantly, participants were shown the respective public agencies these women-owned and managed enterprises can turn to when faced with these challenges.
These workshops rounded off a five-part series of women entrepreneur workshops held from July 2021. The Samoa Chamber of Commerce and UNDP reaffirmed their commitment to building Samoan women entrepreneurs’ capacity to operate with integrity. In line with this, the first Samoan Women Entrepreneur Toolkit will be launched in early 2022.
