Her&Now, is an Indo-German Development Cooperation project implemented by GIZ, and Naga Entrepreneurs Network Nagaland (WENN) on 22 October launched a book titled We Mean Business – 20 Women Entrepreneurs 20 Stories.

The launch was held in a programme chaired by Sumiho Aye, Head Strategist-WENN and Founder of Grassroots Aspirations.

The book launch was followed by the inaugural of WENN Bazaar by Stephanie Mumenthaler, Advisor, Project Her&Now.

The book is an anthology of graphic narratives by twenty inspiring entrepreneurs from across India. Two Naga women entrepreneurs – Vekuvolu Dozo, owner of the enterprise Viko Ethnic, and Nengeithem Hengna, Executive Secretary, WENN and Director of HM Pvt Ltd Runway India – are featured in the book.

Sukriti Somvashi, Communication Expert, Project Her&Now, GIZ Representative said that Project Her&Now had been initiated based on the fact that currently, India’s female labor force participation stands at 19%. Similarly, less than 20% of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises in India is led by women. She said that there is a lot to gain by increasing the share of women in the workforce, adding that according to estimates, equal participation of women in the labor market would increase India’s GDP by 27%.

Entrepreneurship is one important opportunity to increase women’s participation in the economy and to realize India’s growth potential, Somvashi said.

Guest Speaker Lithrongla G Sangtam, IAS (Rtd) said women are the backbone of the economy in Nagaland, but they can’t progress without networking.

She stated that the hardships woman entrepreneurs go through are visible, but women do not know or realize their needs, be it in the infrastructure need or the financial support. There are blockages and shortcomings when it comes to supporting women entrepreneurship, she added.

“We Nagas focus only on being a retailer and don’t know the market of wholesale. Unless we know the commercial, we can’t be called entrepreneurs,” Sangtam said.

The former bureaucrat lamented that Naga society is free and open but there are blockages from the society and families when it comes to women entrepreneurship. She urged the entrepreneurs and women to build one’s social structure.

WE Mean Business👩‍💼 – @giz_india @Her_and_Now‘s newly launched graphic novel narrates the stories of 20 women from across the country as they leave a mark on 🇮🇳’s entrepreneurial culture through gripping illustrations: https://t.co/NWt06XjYCP pic.twitter.com/7yF3aPKfQa

— German Embassy India (@GermanyinIndia) October 17, 2022

The national launch of the book took place on 17 October. The German Embassy India had tweeted that the “newly launched graphic novel narrates the stories of 20 women from across the country” as they leave a mark on India’s entrepreneurial culture through gripping illustrations.