WLSME Program Participants to Show Products at Trade Fair in Kyrgyzstan

Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. On March 5-10, 2014, USAID’s Women’s Leadership in Small and Medium Enterprises (WLSME) program is sponsoring the 8th National Garment Trade Fair “Fashion Industry 2014: Manufactures and Equipment” hosted by the Association of Light Industry Enterprises “LEGRPOM”. The trade fair has become the main platform for national garment companies for marketing and promotion of new collections, customers and wholesaler agreements negotiations, and learning about the latest trends in design and technology in garments market. Over 80 garment companies from Bishkek and other regions as well as providers of equipment and fabrics from Turkey, China, and Europe will exhibit their products.

The WLSME Program believes that women entrepreneurs can grow successful businesses if they actively engage in ongoing marketing activities that provide wider opportunities to build up the social capital and access to key market information. Participation in trade fair provides WLSME entrepreneurs with opportunities to show and promote their products, establish business linkages with buyers and suppliers, and demonstrate capacity for outsourcing contracts with larger companies. It is envisaged that about 10 WLSME program clients will exhibit their products at the March 2014 trade fair and 40 more will exhibit at the November 2014 and March 2015 upcoming trade fairs. WLSME hopes that this number will increase over the next years as more women entrepreneurs participate in WLSME business training become ready to promote their products.

The USAID WLSME program is implemented by ACDI/VOCA in partnership with Bai Tushum Banking Group. The Women’s Leadership in Small and Medium Enterprises (WLSME) program engaged 590 women entrepreneurs across Kyrgyzstan since October 2012 into targeted measures of business and technical skills training and tailored assistance with aim to promote the growth of female-headed small and medium enterprises. One major objective of the program is to build the social capital of the women business owners, through better linkages with suppliers and buyers, with key industry associations, and service providers. The overarching goal of the program is to increase the number and size of women-owned small and medium enterprises.

WLSME is one of many programs made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).