US Highlights Women Entrepreneurs

TIRANA, Oct. – US embassy Charge d’Affaires in Albania Deborah Jones has visited the “Donniana” shoe factory in Tirana to highlight women entrepreneurs. Factory owner Donika Mici escorted Jones through her factory and discussed the challenges facing business executives, particularly women, in Albania. The Charge noted the quality of workmanship of “Donniana” products and the efficiency of the factory.
Mici, who attended President Obama’s Entrepreneurship Summit in April, stated that participation at the Summit enabled her to expand her network of contacts and to forge business relationships with other conference attendees. During the visit, Jones also met with the all-women management staff of the factory.
The factory owner explained that in her “small world” she tries to promote women from within, and most of the factory administration staff are women who previously worked in production. Albania’s shoe and apparel industry represents almost half of Albania’s total exports and accounts for nearly 17 percent of the total employed workforce in the private non-agricultural sector.