WIM endows micro, small and medium entrepreneurs with digital marketing platform

Tuesday, 28 July 2020 01:51 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Women in Management (WIM), a social enterprise with the vision of empowering micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Sri Lanka, has launched a digital marketing platform (www.mangoparrot.store).

The initiative is to embark on the mission of increasing local and global market reach of Sri Lankan origin products and services owned by micro, small and medium entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka.

WIM Chairperson Dr. Sulochana Segera said: “This is the utmost result of the empowerment projects conducted by WIM targeting MSMEs throughout Sri Lanka for the past one decade. We empowered nearly 20,000 entrepreneurs through several projects.”

“The main issue we identified working closely with our MSMEs is lack of access to market, both local and international. And also many local entrepreneurs were unable to establish their identity as a brand in the market with the competition presented by giant companies,” she said.

“As a responsible organisation we decided that it is high time that we provide a secure online platform to Sri Lankan MSMEs so that they are empowered to brand their own identity locally and globally. As a result they will be able to find and increase their market share directly without destroying their existence and identity amongst giant brands,” Dr. Segera said.

“This endeavour is a positive result caused by the lockdown sanctioned due to COVID-19 epidemic situation and is a silver lining to struggling MSMEs in Sri Lanka,” WIM Chairperson added

This initiative has been further strengthened by the Government of Sir Lanka as Palmyra Development Board and BCC Lanka Ltd., endorsed partnerships with WIM to sell their own products on www.mangoparrot.store .

‘Mangoparrot’ online platform will be operated and administered by WIM Director Nilam Samsudeen with member Mayanthi Fernando.

Fernando said: “It is a privileged to work on this platform. Most of the products we received are from rural communities and those are 100% authentic and natural. And most importantly the prices are very reasonable. The quality of the products is far beyond the price you pay for.”

Samsudeen said: “The main challenge we are presently facing is packaging, which we are directly working with the entrepreneurs to improve proper packaging for their products to compete with the other products in the market.”

Dr. Segera said: “It is high time that Sri Lankans value locally produced authentic products, not just to empower Sri Lankan entrepreneurs but also to engage in a healthy lifestyle.”