Arts
A chance to meet some online women entrepreneurs
Many entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka have turned to Instagram to promote their businesses. While some import foreign products which allow Sri Lankans to access products they wouldn’t otherwise have, others provide some value-addition to these products, and some just make their own.
‘It’s Your Time to Shine’ on Saturday, March 16 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the Havelock City Club House will give a chance for these home-grown small businesses to step out of the online market and meet their customers. 26 Women entrepreneurs will have pop-up stalls at this women-only event. Tickets are priced at Rs 100 and for every ten tickets sold, one will get a special gift from 16 out of the 26 stalls.
The two women behind this event are Naziya Tariq and Saahdiya Inzam, who both run small businesses and have worked hard to create this event that gives a platform to women like them. Naziya is the owner of Bedding dye, where she imports material and turns out sheets, pillow cases, and other related products. Her beautifully made patterns are done with local tailors thus providing them employment. Saahdiya, the owner of SJ Creations &Designer Collective creates homemade scented candles and handpainted canvas art.
The chief guest is Haleeda Shahabdeen, executive patron of All Ceylon Muslim Women Association.
With 26 stalls, the pop-up offers plenty of variety for shoppers- there’s Valery Designers, a Muslim fashion brand; for girls who like mehendi, there’s the Mehendi Gallery by Rizla, where they can have beautiful designs drawn on with handmade natural mehendi and for sugary treats, visit the Bake It Yourself stall, that not only has baked goodies but also products that can be used to make them yourself, such as moulds and brownie wrappers.
Trenderella, Sweet Land, Thingz.lk, Dharul kitab/ Shehzadi boutique, Squirrel Bags, Gorgeous Greens, Brick Bakes, Abaayath, Cafe Sugar Free, Minutes, Mummy’s Boutique,Unique Tailors, The Think & Ink store, Turquoise & co, Goodies from Canada, Malaysia and UK, Sweets and Treats, Floor Carpets, Monstrous slime and the Al huda institute educational stall will all be there.
The Think and Ink store and other creative crafts (top)