#WhenWomenLead – Two partners build a social enterprise with stingless bee honey at Nara Global Innovation Group

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Nara Global Innovation Group, a social enterprise established by Soraiham Munah, 26, and Chalisa Puwaphat, 22, focuses on sustainability, empowering local communities, and innovation as it produces probiotic jellies, cosmetics, lotions, shampoos, soaps and other natural products made with honey from stingless bees.

Both women are natives of Narathiwat Province in Thailand’s Southern Border Provinces (SBPs). “Nara Global Innovation Group” reflects not only their common roots, but also their goal of using innovation to bring the abundant natural riches of their area to the rest of the world.

Soraiham and Chalisa researched and developed their unique honey-based products with help from governmental researchers and innovators.

The SBPs have been beset by ongoing security challenges. In launching their business, Soraiham and Chalisa looked to give income opportunities particularly to women who had lost the primary earners in their families because of the civil conflicts. They helped to ensure reliable income and stability for local farmers by engaging them in beekeeping.

Nara Global Innovation Group operates its own beekeeping operation and sources other stingless bee honey from farms in Narathiwat.

Soraiham and Chalisa also collaborate with local women who produce herbs and natural ingredients, to develop new honey-based products.

“We aim to uplift other women, just as we were uplifted,” Chalisa says.

Through the WE RISE Together training, “We figured out how to organize everything, from production to sales,” Soraiham says. “Now, we have software assisting us with operations — something we were previously unaware of.”

Most impactful for both women were the lessons on procurement processes. 

“We now understand that even a small business like ours can participate in both public and private procurement,” Soraiham says. “The programme revealed opportunities we hadn’t even thought about.”

And the connections formed during the programme, such as the one with a resort in Phuket keen on showcasing their products, led to fresh collaborations and opportunities.

In addition to its own brands, Nara Global Innovation Group also manufactures for other brands. The company’s products are sold both in physical stores and online, Soraiham and Chalisa are talking with distributors in Lao People’s Democratic Republic and are looking at opportunities in Hong Kong.