Friday 29^th September, Honiara - Meta and the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) today released the second ‘Influen-shell’ social media campaign to celebrate Pacific Islands businesses and showcase their diversity, creativity and innovation.  Called 'Women, Business & Going Digital’, the campaign profiles 14 Solomon Islands women sharing their inspiring business stories, and offering advice to other women wanting to start a business or use digital technology to further grow and reach new audiences.  

The videos, produced by Webmedia South Pacific, will run for four weeks on Facebook and Instagram.

SICCI Chief Executive Officer Acting: Florence Rhibbie Tatemale Auma says SICCI values the partnership with META, as it contributes to SICCI’s strategy Key Result Areas - 3, which focus on building SICCI branding and outreach on social media. The partnership add value to SICCI members’ determination towards business excellence for greater benefit. “It establishes opportunities for business and specifically focused in this phase women in business the opportunity to promote and expand through rigorous promotion on Meta,”.

Businesses from a diverse range of areas will be represented including manufacturing, food and hospitality, and insurance and professional services.

Nagarita Baea, Administration Officer at Oravae Cottage, features in the campaign and says “Oravae means beautiful in the Roviana dialect. We started our Facebook account about six years ago, and then slowly, we created an Instagram account. It provides a lot of opportunity for women to run small businesses. I would like to encourage more women and girls to never give up on whatever it is you plan to do in life, or whatever it is you are passionate about.”

The first ‘Influen-shell’ campaign in November 2021 showcased 15 Solomon Islands businesses using digital platforms to grow and stay resilient, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 Nick McDonnell, Meta’s Head of Policy for New Zealand and Pacific Islands, says “We are very pleased to be partnering with SICCI again on the influen-shell campaign. In sharing these women’s stories, reflections and advice, we hope that the campaign will help to inspire aspiring entrepreneurs and businesspeople from all walks of life and highlight the diversity, creativity and innovation of Solomon Islands businesses.”

Other initiatives in the ongoing partnership between Meta and SICCI includes a ‘Boost with Facebook’ training workshop in Honiara for more than 80 local business and marketing professionals, and the Lokol Bisnis Digital Marketing Scholarship Program to support up to 50 representatives from SICCI members, with the aim of helping them grow into tomorrow’s digital marketing and communications leaders.

To view the videos, visit:

• https://www.facebook.com/influenshell.SolomonIslands
• https://www.instagram.com/influenshell.SI/
• https://www.solomonchamber.com.sb/

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Notes to editor: The women appearing in the campaign are:

 

1	Stephanie Prince, Director	BP Investments Ltd
2	Nagarita Baea, Administration Officer	Oravae Cottage
3	Pamela Naesol-Alamy, Chief Executive Officer	Institute of Solomon Islands Accountants
4	Diana Yates, Owner	Cathliro Commodities
5	Hensllyn Boseto, Office and Project Manager	Ecological Solutions Solomon Islands
6	Connie Hemmer, Owner	Coffee Station
7	Jacqueline Kagubule, Admin Officer	Fatboys Resort
8	Diana Tasion, Country Manager	Tower Insurance
9	Rowena Piva and Surita Kemaiki, Co-Owners	DA Glow Beauty Salon
10	Marise Pepa, Owner	Marie's Kitchen
11	Joenna Reshma Garo, Owner	Magic Creations
12	Janey Kofe-Chapman, Owner	JayJay’s Baby and Fashion
13	Pimmada Thomson, Owner	The Coffee Bar
14	Dorothy Wickham, Managing Director	Melanesian News Network