Entrepreneurs Associates disburses interest-free loans to 20 women

Dimapur: The Entrepreneurs Associates (tEA) disbursed interest-free loans to 20 women in Kohima on Monday.

Supported by Caring Friends, Mumbai, the loans were provided during a programme held at the Kohima head office of the tEA,an update stated. It was informed that till date, tEA has provided zero interest or interest-free loans to nearly 1000 women, along with few of its partners.

Introducing the ‘Uplifting Women Street Vendors’ programme under which the loans are provided, CEO Neichute Doulo shared that tEA is committed to serve the interest of women, especially local vendors. Speaking to the gathering of nearly 60 women, Neichute shared that with the experience of over two decades in the field of local entrepreneurship, tEA was acutely aware of the difficulties that women vendors continually face.

The CEO advised the women to learn to save 20% of their earnings for them to scale and grow their business. He encouraged the women to put aside 20% of their earnings for at least five years so that they would build their assets like their own micro transport facilities, or buy their own plot of land.

Educating the attendees about the need to innovate and seek new strategies to grow, he also encouraged the women to continuously explore new frontiers of trade. A brief summary of the various products and services available for women vendors and interested entrepreneurs was provided by Azonuo Chietsu, Community Mobiliser, at the tEA.

Meanwhile, Ruovizokhonuo E Pienyu from Carl Rogers Institute of Mental Health and School Counselling educated the women in detail about the importance of caring for the individual’s mental health. She also expressed the need to be aware of one’s stress levels and acknowledge it.  The expert also added that everyone needs to treat mental state as any organ in the body requiring treatment and care.

Ainato Yeptho, Deputy Director (Mainstreaming),NSACS , Nagaland was present at the event and advocated for better awareness about Aids and blood donation. He conveyed that the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS and blood donation must be addressed and shared that in Nagaland the main cause of HIV infection was through sexual transmission. Therefore, he stressed that society must collectively educate one and all about the need for safe sex practices and sensitise especially the youth about the current situation to put an end to its spread.

The formal session was followed by a skills training for the women vendors on making banana chips.