‘WEXNET 2022’ TDAP organises ‘largest’ expo for women entrepreneurs

LAHORE: The mega event WEXNET opened for the public on Thursday at Expo Centre Lahore. The exhibition was inaugurated by Parveen Sarwar. She appreciated the efforts of TDAP to host the single and largest event for women entrepreneurs of the country.

She was of the opinion that such events should be organized twice a year. The diplomatic and business community of Lahore also joined the inauguration ceremony. Friday will be the 2nd and last day of the event.

This is the 10th edition of the exhibition that is arranged by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) for women entrepreneurs of Pakistan. Over 300 plus women entrepreneurs from across Pakistan are exhibiting their products from all provinces including Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.

This makes the exhibition unique and promises diversity of the products. The two-day event aims to bring both businesses and consumers at one prestigious platform to network, promote their products offerings and to avail the opportunity of cultural exchange among different provinces.

WEXNET (Network for Women Exporters) is the largest exhibition of Pakistan for women entrepreneurs to support and promote the SME sector where a buyer can find good quality products to suit varying tastes and budgets.

WEXNET is a formalized structure which provides women with the opportunities to not only exhibit their products, network with each other, learn from others’ experiences but also to form collaborations and partnerships for mutual benefits. It is recognized as the only national exhibition for women entrepreneurs in Pakistan since its inception in 2000.

The 10th WEXNET 2022 is proud to have received more than 400 applications from entrepreneurs representing all the regions of Pakistan and from more than 30 cities, with some ventures participating through the different trade bodies, NGOs and government organizations.

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda) has also set up a large pavilion at WEXNET 2022 Exhibition with its own fund to promote products of the small level women entrepreneurs of the less developed areas of Pakistan.

According to Head of Women Entrepreneurship Develop-ment Cell of Smeda Tania Buttar, the pavilion attracted special attention of the visitors for having a large number of women concerned products made by the women artisans and entrepreneurs themselves.

CEO Smeda Hashim Raza, while commenting on Smeda’s participation in the national WEXNET Exhibition said that Smeda as per agenda set by the government under new SME Policy, was striving hard to promote women entrepreneurs’ products through trade fairs and exhibitions.

For this purpose we have started with the national level trade exhibitions like WEXNET, he said adding that SMEDA is furnished with an exclusive cell for Women Entrepreneurship Development, which is working to develop entrepreneurship among women by focusing special attention on women artisans of the less developed areas for turning their potential into formal enterprises and also helping them in access to the markets.

Therefore, immediately after sponsoring 30 women entrepreneurs of South Punjab in Blue Fair held under flagship of the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Multan last week, Smeda has sponsored 30 stalls at WEXNET 2022 to facilitate over 52 women entrepreneurs from 17 cities of Pakistan including Kalat, Quetta, Karachi, Huzdar, Haripur, Swat, Peshawar, D I Khan, Layyah, Multan, Bahawalpur, Islamabad, D G Khan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Faisalabad. It is notable that the stalls of Smeda pavilion set up in WEXNET at Expo Center, Lahore, have become center of the visitors’ interest for their cultural and traditional beauty.

The products displayed on the stalls included hand embroidery, handicrafts, shawls, hand embroidered shoes, truck art, leather hand bags, marble accessories, block printed bed sheets and cushion, kamdani work, jewellry, traditional jewellry, spices, dry fruits, stationery, office supplies and apparels.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022