THEY say the proof is in the pudding.
And for a group of female vendors, the tables have turned after they completed a nine-week training workshop aimed at strengthening women's economic security and inform them of their rights.
Facilitated by United Nations Development Programme in partnership with the Rakiraki Town Council and the Vaileka Market Vendors Association, the training addressed capacity building measures for women market vendors.
Delivered through the UNDP Pacific Centre under the Millennium Market Project, through its One Country One Market campaign, the training in partnership with United Nations Women was directed at the informal sector which comprised the most vulnerable to economic setbacks, including women market vendors.
The success of workshop which aimed to empower women in business has catapulted its participants to great lengths with one woman testifying to finally opening a bank account where she deposited more than $500 in a span of nine weeks.
Another woman said the workshop empowered her to become a public speaker.
And yet another participant said she was applying smart business practices to expand her market vendor activity.
"Through this training, I have learnt about customer service, how to budget, how to keep accounts and basically how to run a successful market vendor business," participant and market vendor Seravina Waqali said.
Ms Waqali sells vegetables and root crops at the Vaileka market and since the workshop has taken steps to expand her business to Ba Town.
Veronika Tuika shared how the training boosted her confidence to talk and interact with people.
The two were among the 60 women market vendors who attended the training sessions where they learnt techniques to improve business skills, basic financial skills including pricing and costing, saving money and market vendors' rights.