The recipients are members of the Porgera District Women in Business Microfinance.

They were each given K1000 by the Trade and Commerce office in Wabag last week, The National reported.

The loans are to be repaid within a year, with interest.

Alome Keakas, a representative of the commerce office, advised the women to work hard and grow the business they were involved in so that they could make money and look after their families.

PWIB president Elizabeth Iarume thanked the SBDC for making the funds available

Iarume said the Porgera District Women in Business Microfinance was the first group to get the loan because they were organised and all members had bank accounts.

Porgera district business development officer Alfred Yala urged the recipients to work hard and grow their businesses as it was an opportunity provided to them by the government.

Yala praised the government for the initiate. "This was a good initiative by the government because individual women who do well in their businesses can get loan from the National Development Bank and become ‘big business' women," Yala said.