Business & Money | Thursday 28 May, 2015 12:42 pm |

The Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC) is participating in the Ebriez Fashion Exhibition, being held at the Sharjah Ladies Club from May 26- 28 with part of the proceeds going to the Big Heart Foundation in support of Syrian refugee children.

The women only fashion event is themed “Dress for Charity” and SBWC has a pavilion showcasing designs by four members of their organization, Ashyana Designs, Gossip Cafe & Desserts, Dar Al Mayas Designs and Attrafit Gym.

The four businesses are owned, managed and operated by Emirati women who have the spirit of innovation and desire to effectively participate in the economic development of the UAE.

Najla Al Ansari, Deputy Manager at Sharjah Business Women Council said, “We are delighted to participate in this event, which corresponds to our goals of empowering women in the business sector in Sharjah and the UAE. We are keen to give women the opportunity to exhibit their products and garner feedback from shoppers on their designs. Such participation contributes to the effectiveness of their business models and gives valuable businesses and networking opportunities to our members.”

According to Al Ansari opening up membership to include women who work from home, professional women, university students and new graduates as well as women with special needs who have their own enterprises or are seeking to enter the business world, has helped upgrade women’s status and role in various business sectors, and helped to elevate more women as real partners in the UAE’s economic and development sector.

The SBWC pavilion was a popular destination at the event with visitors coming to gain an insight into what national projects are available. The SBWC made use of its participation to introduce visitors to the advantages and privileges of SBWC membership as well as to business opportunities available for members in Sharjah and the UAE in general.

The pavilion received a number of membership applications from women of various nationalities who reside in the Emirate of Sharjah and the UAE. The SBWC also made use of this opportunity to promote its members’ businesses and enterprises, as well as to showcase and highlight the prominent women’s projects in the country.

The SBWC provides female entrepreneurs with the opportunity to showcase their work and offers training courses and technical support to help them promote their products and increase their competitiveness and consumer appeal.

Shaima Bin Taliah, CEO of Attrafit, thanked the SBWC for allowing her to showcase her products at the Ebriez Fashion Exhibition. She said, “The training courses that the SWBC provided taught me the basics and fundamentals about development and marketing of products, and more importantly, how to turn a small idea into a successful enterprise.”

Dr Shayma N. Fawwaz, Founder and CEO of Gossip Cafe & Desserts, added that the charity spirit that distinguishes the Ebriez Fashion Exhibition increased its importance adding, “I am proud to be an Emirati woman and a successful entrepreneur. We are now able to offer an Emirati cafe that became a brand in a short period of time and opened branches in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. We thank Sharjah Business Women Council that facilitated our participation in Ebriez exhibition at the Sharjah Ladies Club, andI hope that I will be able to further develop my project and market it beyond the UAE as well.”

The Sharjah Business Women Council aims to create and enhance the work environment for women as well as train and prepare women to enter into private economic activities and enhance their participation in social and economic development. To achieve its goals, the SWBC carries out diverse programs, initiatives and activities, including conferences, seminars, workshops, studies and research, in addition to forging partnerships with government and private bodies and foundations.