An EXHIBITION was held at the Empowerment thru Creative Integration (ECI) complex to mark the end of 15-Day Capacity Development training for Industrial Training Centers (ITCs) of NWFP. The training had three major components: Effective ITC management, Entrepreneurial Approach, Skill Enhancement & Technical Training. This residential training workshop was part of a larger project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) & the Canadian International Development Agency CIDA) titled: ‘Support to Implementation of GRAPS: Capacity Building of GRAP Stakeholders project’ under TA 4602. This project is jointly implemented by Semiotics Consultants and ECI Pvt Ltd. The ‘show & tell’ demonstrated the efforts of over a 100 participants from 15 districts of NWFP.  Each of these women is an instructor at or an owner of a public or private Industrial Training Center (ITC) in NWFP. Many of them have braved remarkable odds to move beyond the confines of their locality. This event provided them with a platform to share their unique experiences, local products and their skill with a larger audience.

The exhibition featured local handicrafts and skill demonstrations as well as plenty of food and games stalls spread over three floors of ECI’s residential training complex extending beyond the boundary walls towards the river. The event was designed as a ‘capacity building initiative’ where 105 training participants were provided an opportunity to interface with their market, display and sell their products, as well as learn how to set-up and earn from such events. Through their experience, they learned how to deal with competition, make a successful sales pitch, and the importance of appropriate packaging and display. Remarkably, the skills being demonstrated had been acquired in less than one week! These included: candle-making, ribbon work, artificial flower-making using dough, foam and net, and jewelry making. Evidently, a lot of hard work and sleepless nights had been put into creating the beautiful products on display. Exhibition organizers, and trainers, explained that this was merely a first step towards introducing a range of new skills for the majority of the ITCs. Almost all of them will need specialized training before they can sell their products in a competitive market environment, and they are now being encouraged to consider acquiring further training.

 
Participants felt that they had benefitted tremendously from their experience, and many of them intended to disseminate skills and business acumen they had learned through their ITCs to women and girls in their communities. A large number of them expressed their interest in seeking further training. This intervention has inspired ideas for future projects. Ms. Shahnaz Kapadia Rahat, Project Team Leader, elaborated the importance of not allowing intervention to be a one-off initiative. She stressed that the ITCs are Business Development Service Providers (BDSPs) at the grass roots level with the potential to reach out, and train women, towards a job or self-employment. Therefore strengthening the ITCs will have a significant impact on economic development for women in NWFP!