Women in Business Development Inc. has announced the opening of its virtual market which among other products offers umu, mea’ai Samoa, seafood, jam, spreads and handicraft.

W.I.B.D.I. Executive Director and Co-Founder, Adimaimalaga Tafuna’i, announced the opening of the virtual market in an interview with the Samoa Observer which she said will support vulnerable farming families as well as fishermen during the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic. 

“The virtual market is to support our vulnerable farming families and fishers during this period of the COVID-19 S.O.E. and lockdown because the usual regular markets are not available for them,” she said in an interview. “This is the second Virtual Market utilising the MAUA App and supported by SkyEye and the MAUA team.”

She added that the market gives Samoa’s vulnerable families an opportunity to earn an income at a time when markets are difficult to access.

“It also gives our local community the opportunity to order Samoan food and produce online from our farmers and fishers and pay with mobile money,” Tafuna’i added. “Apart from the small businesses in the urban centre, we also have organisations like the Poutasi Development Trust and Samoa Victims Support Group (S.V.S.G.) joining the market and 27 rural farmers with fisher families from Aufaga and Manono Tai.”

Farmers from Faga, Savai’i are also selling items at the virtual market. 

“The W.I.B.D.I.-organised market brings you all your organic favorites in an effort to continue to support our local farmers through these difficult times,” stated MAUA in a Facebook post. “Thank you all for your generous support for our local farmers and artisans with our first Virtual Market last month.”

Consumers can pre-order on the MAUA App Web site. Items can be delivered or picked up on Friday between 1–4 pm. Members of the public interested are asked to call (685) 840-8999 for more information or to go to the MAUA Facebook page.