With funding from the Advancing Women-led Agro Businesses to Reach Economic Empowerment (AWARE) project, Save the Children organised a trade show in Balkh province on 10 October 2024. The primary aim of the trade show was to establish sustainable market linkages, showcase products and services from women-led enterprises, and promote collaboration between existing business services and networks. The event introduced participants to new markets, potential collaborators, and opportunities to sell their products, creating lasting business connections.

52 project beneficiaries, including heads of Women Agro Business Cooperative (WABC) groups from Balkh province, participated in the trade show, which attracted over 500 traders. The project provided essential inputs such as glass jars, plastic jars, and packaging materials to assist beneficiaries in displaying and selling their products.

Farida*, the representative of Khushboo Food Processing Center, shared, “The recent trade fair was a big success for us. It was better than previous time because we had more experience, and we knew which products to show and how to package them to attract customers. We sold almost everything, and other women from our village did the same. It was a great chance to meet traders and wholesalers. Events like this are very helpful for women like me, as they give us confidence that we can support our families and use the skills we learned with Save the Children’s help."