GREAT Women Project national partner Department of Science and Technology (DOST) sent a team of specialists to six local government units in Metro Naga to pilot-test the use of a DOST tool that will assess the gender-responsiveness of DOST technologies for women’s microenterprises. The pilot-test ran from August 27-28, 2009 in the Metro Naga Development Council, a local government partner alliance of the GREAT Women Project. The team visit is part of an on-going joint effort of DOST and MNDC under the GREAT Women Project. The Project seeks the convergence of national and local government agencies in strengthening an enabling environment for women’s economic empowerment.

The pilot-testing was conducted to technologies mainly used for women-dominated enterprises in Metro Naga municipalities. Among the technologies that pilot-tested the DOST tool were bamboo craft manufacture in Bula, pili and muscovado sugar processing in Naga, ceramics-making in Magarao, agas footwear production in Milaor, and crab production in Gainza. (In photo is the muscovado processing site in Naga.)

Local chief executives, the GREAT Women Project local team and women microentrepreneurs met the team of DOST specialists who conducted focus-group discussions to probe deeper into the on-site technology needs of women microenterprises.