Ashshash hosts national conference for women entrepreneurs

Winrock International's Ashshash project organised the National Women Entrepreneurs' Conference 2025 at the Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre (BCFCC) in Dhaka on Wednesday, bringing together survivor-turned microentrepreneurs, market actors, financial institutions and policymakers to promote market access, finance and startup support for women-led enterprises.

Supported by the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, the daylong conference aimed to strengthen the economic reintegration of trafficking survivors and accelerate the growth of women-led businesses across ten trafficking-prone districts of the country.

The event featured an exhibition of products made by survivor-entrepreneurs, alongside two panel discussions titled "Exploring markets for artisans: challenges and ways forward" and "Startup support for artisans: challenges and ways forward". The panels brought together representatives from the SME Foundation, IDLC, Impact Investment Exchange (IIX), BRAC MFI, Oxfam, Prokritee, investor networks, and fashion and craft sectors, along with survivor-entrepreneurs.

Deputy Managing Director of the SME Foundation Farzana Khan said the event recognised not only products and businesses, but also the courage, skills and leadership of survivors who have rebuilt their lives and established themselves as entrepreneurs.

The conference facilitated direct buyer–seller interactions and discussions on scaling microbusinesses into sustainable livelihoods. Artisan goods including textiles, handicrafts and homemade products were displayed, while a dedicated business pitch session allowed selected microentrepreneurs to engage with lenders, incubators and buyers.

Panellists highlighted structural challenges related to market access, quality standards, aggregation and brand positioning, and recommended market-driven solutions such as buyer aggregation mechanisms, skills upgrading and partnerships with trade bodies. Financial and impact investment experts also discussed gender-sensitive loan products, incubation models and blended finance options to support early-stage artisan enterprises.

Organisers said the conference aligned with Ashshash's objective of promoting sustainable reintegration of survivors through economic empowerment, market linkages and institutional partnerships, translating project models into opportunities for scaling and replication.