WHY WAS THIS RECORD BOOK PRODUCED?

Record keeping is good business practice that women market vendors do not usually do.

Good record keeping will show the trader if the business is making any money (profit) or running at a loss.

Good record keeping is needed to run a successful business and improving people’s income and livelihoods.

A UNDP survey of women market vendors in Rakiraki, Fiji in 2012, found that a majority of them did not keep any written records of income and expenses about their small business at the market. Few women market vendors kept records in small note books.

Many Women market vendors kept business records in their ‘heads’ and did not know how much profit they were making nor the costs they incurred in trading as market vendors.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) worked with the National Centre for Small and Micro-Enterprises Development (NCSMED - Fiji) and the Rakiraki town women market vendors to produce these Business record books. The women market vendors tested the Business record books and found it useful, easy to use, and informative. The test recording on the Business record books showed they were making some money after their costs were taken out.

Commercial Banks and other financial institutions require at least three months of cash flow records for small businesses before they can be considered for financial assistance.

With good records about their small business at the market, women market vendors can use records in their Business record books to seek financial assistance (loans) from commercial Banks to expand their business at the market, increase their income and better provide for their families and communities.

WHO CAN USE THIS RECORD BOOK?

This Book is a business tool for market vendors.

It can also be used by small informal business operators (home based tailors and jewelers, mat and handicraft vendors, flower vendors etc), Fish sellers, Village-based sellers of agricultural produce.