BY JEFFREY TAFOLEHE
THE informal sector in the Solomon Islands today is full of mostly mothers and drop-out youths hardpressed by the economic hardships and struggles of daily living that majority of them continue to persevere through in the world of business competition whilst making a living.
The Solomon Women’s Newspaper caught up with a housewife mother, Ida Duta who joins the South Pacific Business Development (SPBD) micro fund who shares her experience doing business in the informal sector.
Solomon Women Newspaper (SWN): Brief background about yourself:
Ida Duta (ID): I’m from Choiseul Province part Malaita. I am a housewife, married with 2 kids. I made my earnings mostly from selling food to pay for school fees and other household needs.
SWN: Brief background about your business: (Year started)?
ID: My business is baking buns and ring cake. I started this business since 2014.
SWN: Tell us about your business (what product or service you provide and who your target audience is)?
ID: My ring cake business began in 2014. I started with a 50 Kilogram (Kg) bag of flour. For one day I sell about 150 cakes earning $150-00 per day. The bag of flour usually lasted 6 days. My customers mostly are my neighbors and betel nut sellers at Kukum market.
SWN: Please tell us what being a business owner means to you and why you became a business woman in the first place?
ID: Being a business owner means helping out to sustain family from poverty (“Hem meanim help sustainim family fo no poor”) I realize town lifestyle nowadays is becoming more expensive so I got involve in business to support my husband (Taon living hem expensiv tumas distaem so mi tingting fo raisim slen fo sapotem hasban”)
SWN: What or who has been your greatest influence in business and why?
ID: My mother is the greatest influence in business. Being a kid growing up and seeing my mum baking cakes and see how easy it is to get involve in, it inspires me to start this kind of business.
SWN: What would you say is your greatest professional accomplishment to date?
ID: My biggest accomplishment so far is the ability to save and this encourages me to do business despite saving little (“mi save sevem slen. Hem na mekem mi interest fo duim bisnis nomata slen fo sevim hem smol”)
SWN: What is the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to your readers?
For housewives do not depend entirely on your husband’s salary. You must help to contribute toward family by doing business. When husband does not have enough women can still support.
SWN: What one thing have you learned as a small business owner that has served you well over the years?
ID: Never look down on myself despite not earning enough (“No lukdaon lo mi seleva nomata mi no tekem big slen”)
SWN: What challenges/ difficulties have you faced in business?
ID: Sometimes I did not make any profit. At times I didn’t make any sales. And sometimes I allow customers to buy on credit and would collect the money later. Also sometimes I am very tired but have to force myself to get up and work.
SWN: What do you do for fun/ relaxation?
ID: Sometimes I go friends to share ideas to encourage me. Most importantly God is everything. I usually pray and ask Him to give me peace and accept every situation and never give up.
SWN: What is number one business goal you plan to accomplish over the next year?
ID: To build a house and buy new kitchen utensils.
SWN: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers who wish to get into business?
ID: Encourage women to involve in small business to help improve standard of living for their families, help their children not to involve in criminal activities and because mothers can help manage homes.
SWN: Your simple view how our country or government can help women in the informal sector?
ID: We (Women) need leaders and government to help us. Some mothers have no good educational background therefore needed financial support. For example, the SPBD has helped us by lending funds to start our own businesses. Government leaders must give funds and recognize us in order to help us.
