Three mothers won the Business Women of the Year Awards 2014 on September 8 for establishing small businesses using the South Pacific Business Development Microfinance program.

‘Eseta Fiva (26) of Ha’asini was awarded Business Woman for Tongatapu; Lu’isa Fifita (49) of Neiafu, the Business Woman for Vava’u; and Kalisi Finau (55) of Pangai, the Business Woman for Ha’apai, at the 4th Annual Business Woman of the Year Awards in Nuku'alofa.

The women who are members of their village groups had each taken out small loans to finance small business ventures such as baking, tapa and handicraft making and buying nets for fishing.

Lord Sevele, the guest of honour, with SPBD founder and President Greg Casagrande, presented the awards during SPBD Tonga's fifth-year anniversary celebration, at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall.

Over 2,000 women held a colouful parade from Vuna Wharf to the hall for the awards ceremony.

Anniversary

Casagrande congratulated and praised members as determined successful women enterpreneurs in Tonga.

“I know your success is due to your hard work, continued efforts and labour. It's been five-years since SPBD started in Tonga and we have provided over $26 million pa'anga of unsecured credit. This is to help our members build small businesses to improve their financial living conditions and provide for their children's education. We have since worked with over 8,000 families in Tongatapu, Vava'u, Ha'apai and 'Eua."

Lord Sevele commended the women members for their achievements in improving the financial means of their families by using SPBD over the past five-years.

“SPBD should be praised since it has improved the state of financial means and has empowered women by loaning out around $26.24 million pa'anga to members, this is a huge amount,” he said.

"I thank Greg and his funders from overseas for this is a golden opportunity. I am glad that the women of Tonga have risen to the challenge and followed instructions that you and staff have given them. They and we the whole of Tonga have benefited."

SBPD Tonga is the second unit in a network of microfinance insitutions in the Pacific committed to eradicate poverty by empowering women in poor rural villages with the opportunity to loan, start and grow incrome generating micro-enterprise, home improvements and finance their children's education.

Amy Lofgren is the SBPD Microfinance Ltd General Manager overseeing 32 staff in Tonga.