Shobha Rayamajhi presents on innovative and sustainable businesses in South Asia. She discusses the Federation Women Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal (FWEAN), which she established in 2003 to promote women's socioeconomic empowerment through entrepreneurship. FWEAN operates in advocacy, networking, capacity building, and promoting women entrepreneurs. Rayamajhi also discusses her personal journey establishing a restaurant and farmers market in Nepal to support local organic farmers. She outlines challenges women entrepreneurs face in Nepal including access to financing and proposes solutions such as partnerships and microcredit to support women in agriculture business.

1. INNOVATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE
BUSINESSES IN SOUTH ASIA
PRESENTATION BY
SHOBHA RAYAMAJHI
1ST APRIL, 2014
BANGLADESH

2. FWEAN
(FEDERATION WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS ASSOCIATION NEPAL)
• Established IN JULY 11, 2003
• VISION -NATION BUILDING THROUGH SOCIO- ECONOMIC
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
• PURPOSE-PROMOTE WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP THROUGH
ADVOCACY, NETWORKING, CAPACITY BUILDING &
PROMOTING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS NATIONALLY

3. FWEAN WORKS MAINLY IN 4 AREAS:
• Advocacy And Lobby With The Government And Related Organization On
Woman’s Economic Empowerment
• Promotion Of Entrepreneurship In Rural And Urban Areas
• Establishment Of Wean Chapters In 74 Districts Of Nepal
• Empowering Members Through Various Programs

4. MY PERSONAL JOURNEY
• ESTABLISHED A Restaurant Named
“1905 “In 2001 With The Objective To
Provide Upscale Dining Experience To
High End Locals And Provide Excellent
Quality Food And Beverage For
Tourists
• Restored An Old Cultural Heritage
Building To Give “ Tourists….The
History Of OLD Nepal…
• Started The ‘First Farmers Market In
Nepal’– A Platform For Local Farmers
To Show Case Their Organic Produce.
• ‘Saturday Breakfast At Farmers
Market 1905’ Is Today One Of The
Must Visit Item In The Itinerary Of
Most Tourists In Nepal.

5. PRESENT ENDEAVOR
• Presently Taking Initiative To
Establish A ‘FARMER’S MART’ – A
Complete Organic Store With The
Objective To Maintain Quality
Control And Create Awareness Of
Organic Produce .
• ‘FARMER’S MART’ Main Objective
Is TO BRING THE FARM TO THE TABLE. It
Will Serve As A Direct Market
Linkage Between The Producers
And Customer.
• Farmers Mart Will Be A Flagship
Store Which Will Be Undertaking
Branding And Awareness Of
Organic Products.

6. • We Are Also Working
With Ifc’s SME Venture
To Develop An Eco
Friendly Model Farm
Project.
• This Sustainable Eco
Friendly Farm House
Project Will Be Working
With Lots Of Other Small
Farmers Within The
Community, Enabling
Villagers Mostly Women.

7. WOMEN IN AGR0 BUSINES IN NEPAL
• 26 % Of Our Income Is From
Remittance. Most Of Our Women Are
Pushed Into Business Because Their
Men Are Out Of The Country.
• Feminization Of Agro Business Is
Growing In Nepal, Which Challenges
The Economic Development At Present.
We Need Banks That Trust Women,
Need Skill Trainings, And A Conducive
Market.
• Our Banks Need To Be More Rational
And Co-operative To Small And Medium
Women Entrepreneurs. Our Innovation
Drive For Business Is Low In Women
Because Of High Interest Rate.

8. Continued..
• Agriculture Could Be One Of The Most
Sustainable Business For Women In Nepal,
Because Of Their Involvement In Agricultural
Production More Than Men.
• Through Microcredit It Is Proven That Women
Respond To Economic Opportunities In
Commercial Agriculture.

9. Continued..
• Nepali Women Need Access To Capital To Invest,
Skill Development And Market. This Is Where
FWEAN Comes In Handy. FWEAN Has Recently
Been Successful In Acquiring Small Collateral Free
Loan For Rural Women.
• FWEAN Also Facilitates Skill Development And
Establish Network For Them.
• Fwean Is Pursuing To Bring Renewed Policies And
Promotions For Women Entrepreneurs In Nepal.

10. CHALLENGES FACED
• Lack Of Accreditation Bodies.
• Access To Finance Difficult.
• Lack Of Financing And Accounting
Knowledge.
• Lack Of Initiative By The Government.
• Lack Of Training To The Farmers.
• Lack Of Support From The Family

11. CONCLUSIONS….
• Yes, We Can! Women Can Do Innovative And
Sustainable Business, And “ No Thank You For
Donations.”
• We Have Business Drive, Resources, Innovation,
But We Only Need Access To Easy Finance,
Private Equity, And Strategic Partnerships !