The South Pacific Business Development Microfinance’s 19th Annual Businesswoman Awards has recognised the brilliant business acumen of its clients in a recent ceremony at the Tuutuuileloloto Hall, Matafele.

Minister of Finance, Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo was the guest speaker at the event. Guests in attendance applauded and recognised the entrepreneurial enthusiasm and business achievements of women leaders who have made a mark in the community in their chosen fields. 

More than 1,000 S.P.B.D. clients attended the awards. A parade by S.P.B.D. staff and clients led by the Samoa Police Band was in itself a spectacle to watch, it was an ocean of vibrant colours, enthusiasm and spirit.

The Overall Micro Businesswoman of the Year was awarded to Alefa Avealalo Asiata Lavilavi of the Satupa’itea Pitonuu 3 Centre in Savai'i. The continuous perseverance of Alefa to ensure – that not only her furniture business and barbeque store continue and are sustainable – but also the addition of two taxis was a bonus and helping not only to meet her regular weekly repayments while ensuring that her children's educational expenses are covered and maintaining the upkeep of her family's financial obligations.

The Small Medium Enterprise Overall Businesswoman of the Year was presented to Kalala Sale from Samalaeulu Centre in Upolu. Kala Sale joined the S.P.B.D. program in 2007, and from her testimony, she started off with a $750 loan. Kalala took out nine micro-loans before graduating to the S.M.E. loan starting at $10,000 which is now paying off a $50,000 loan.

Overall Best SPBD Centre was received by SAPINI 1 Centre from the big island of Savai'i. The most outstanding quality observed in this centre which made it stand out against all the other very good centres is the number of deposits the centre has made. There are 50 weeks of the year for regular S.P.B.D. centre meetings, and the Sapini centre has made 43 deposits – in other words, 43 weeks of centre meetings with centre savings deposits. This further imprints the testimony of the centre chief of how each and every client of Sapini are working well on their businesses, in which their regular fundraisings enable them to assist each other in times of need, but also deposit amounts into their savings account.

S.P.B.D. Samoa founder and President, Greg Casagrande, then made reference to a famous quote by American author and disability advocate, Helen Keller to describe the success of the microfinance organisation. 

“Think about that, 'alone we can do so little, together we can do so much'. Inside the S.P.B.D. family, you will find lots of opportunities to build relationships with other aspiring, hardworking, women micro-entrepreneurs, of modest means but large ambitions," he said. "I encourage you to 'lean in' and to help one another so that you all achieve even greater success.”

The S.P.B.D then acknowledged their sponsors Digicel Samoa and S.S.A.B. Megastore for contributing to the success of the awards through their donation of various prizes for the top-performing entrepreneurs.