Nagaland Governor Opens Third Made in Nagaland Center

Kohima: Nagaland Governor Nand Kishore Yadav cut the ribbon on the third Made in Nagaland Centre on Tuesday. The facility sits at the YouthNet office in Chumoukedima. It provides a storefront for local entrepreneurs to hawk their goods. The project aims to link regional skills, crops, and textiles to bigger markets. Yadav praised the work. He believes these centers offer a path to steady livelihoods for rural communities and small businesses.

The project started in 2018 with a single store in Kohima. Back then, it supported 81 entrepreneurs. Today, the network represents around 350 entrepreneurs selling roughly 600 unique items from across the state. Yadav urged young people to build their own companies instead of hunting for government jobs. He said, "The state's indigenous crafts, textiles, agricultural products, food traditions and artistic expressions could generate sustainable livelihoods with better market access."

YouthNet founder Hekani Jakhalu noted that her organization launched in 2006. She wants to change how local youth view work. The goal is to move away from government dependency. The Chumoukedima site marks the third physical location for the initiative. Moving forward, the Governor wants to see more cooperation between banks, state agencies, and private groups to help these small shops grow.