In a significant move toward sustainable livelihoods in Noonu Atoll, the Kendhikulhudhoo-based Comets Sports Club has successfully concluded a transformative initiative aimed at improving and providing a platform to home-based entrepreneurs, especially women entrepreneurs in Noonu Atoll.
This initiative is supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), the project specifically focused on the economic potential of women in the community, providing a structured pathway for small-scale businesses to transition into sustainable business models.
This community-driven project bridged critical gaps in the local market by combining foundational training with practical field exposure, ensuring that participants were equipped with the necessary tools to navigate the complexities of economics.
A total of 58 entrepreneurs (83 percent of whom were women) participated in the baseline survey, to identify the individual needs of the atoll’s home-based workforce. This process was followed by in-depth workshops covering essential business skills such as registration, financial management, and product development. Additionally, the participants also took part in a field visit to B. Maalhos, where they observed directly how local businesses successfully integrate with the tourism sector.
This practical experience proved essential for the success of these participants, as since the project started, about ten businesses have begun the formal registration process, while others have started looking for financial aid and better packaging to meet tourism standards.
A key aspect of the project was the launch of "Kendhi Baazaaru," a community marketplace that gave 26 women-led businesses a platform to showcase and sell their products to a larger audience.
The marketplace acted as a proof-of-concept for a more permanent economic presence, leading to the creation of a vendor union that proposed a regular market schedule to the Island Council. By exploring markets as far as Malé, the initiative has boosted the confidence of local artisans and created a model that can be repeated for community-driven development across the Maldives.
