tEA's uplifting women street vendors prog reaches Arunachal

Our Correspondent
Kohima | March 28

The Entrepreneurs Associates (tEA) in partnership with Capri Loans today conducted its "Uplifting Women Street Vendors" programme for women street vendors at General Field in Deomali Town of Namsang Block, Tirap District in Arunachal Pradesh.

This programme is a second of its kind in Arunachal Pradesh ever since its institution in 2017.

50 women from various villages of the block centering around Deomali town attended the programme.

Moderating the program, Chubatemjen, content writer at tEA spoke on the mission of tEA. He briefed the women on crucial financial components such as budgeting, expense management, savings, investments, and digital payments to experience financial leeway. Chubatemjen also stressed on the importance of understanding monetary inflows and outflows to help the women set realistic target goals and diminish frivolous spending habits.

Chanem Thingnok, CEO of Khajen Farmers Producer Company Limited talked on the legal rights that they possess as street vendors. She also stressed on the right for socially excluded households to seek free legal aid under the Legal Service Authority Act of 1987.

Supongchiba, Community Mobiliser of tEA apprised the women on the financial wing of tEA. He spoke on the various modes of savings and the services offered under tEA in comparison to other private, central, and government financial establishments. He also narrated the many success stories of the women beneficiaries who have benefitted from the handholding support offered under tEA.

Yalik Lowang, leader of SONA SHG, on behalf of the attendees expressed her delight to tEA for bringing an empowering initiative to a place like Namsang where majority of the street vendors struggle to achieve financial freedom.

The Uplifting Women Street Vendors Program is a flagship program of tEA, launched in October 2017, to empower women involved in the network of marketing farm produce.

Till date, tEA has trained and worked with more than 7000 women street vendors in Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh with plans to branch out to other neighboring states in the upcoming days.

Under the programme, tEA has been providing training on financial & business management, skills training, health and legal services, mentorship and linkages to markets and zero interest loans.

tEA hopes that by 2025, 10,000 women street vendors will be impacted under the programme.