Tania Lieuw-A-Soe inspires us and you?

Tania Lieuw-A-Soe, President of SURIVIT N.V., is a leading figure in social entrepreneurship in Suriname.

SURIVIT N.V. is a thriving social enterprise specialising in cassava processing that embodies a model of commitment to food security, economic growth and the emancipation of women in rural areas.

A career rooted in agriculture

Born into a farming family, Tania developed a passion for the land and entrepreneurship at an early age. After studying in Suriname and the Netherlands, she founded a company in 2004 that produced juices from local exotic fruits, which were distributed to Surinamese hotels and restaurants. This first experience of entrepreneurship laid the foundation for her future initiatives, all aimed at sustainable development and the empowerment of rural women.

In 2013, Tania founded Wi! Uma Fu Sranan, Suriname’s first women’s farmers’ cooperative, bringing together cassava farmers from the rural communities of Klaaskreek and Kapasikele. Now with 38 members, the cooperative’s mission is to provide its members with comprehensive training in food production, processing, marketing and distribution.

Wi! Uma Fu Sranan was behind the creation of SURIVIT N.V., a social enterprise that operates on an inclusive model. In 2020, the two companies inaugurated a modernised factory for processing cassava into high-quality gluten-free products such as flour, pancake and porridge preparations, and baby food that meets Codex Alimentarius standards. The factory currently employs 15 women.

International recognition and strategic partnerships

Tania Lieuw-A-Soe is also president of the Surinamese Network of Rural Women Producers (SUNRWP), which is part of the Caribbean Regional Network of Rural Women Producers (CANROP), and president of the Surinamese Farmers’ Federation. For her achievements, she was named Entrepreneur of the Year in 2015 by the national ABC broadcaster.

The initiatives she leads have attracted support from a variety of sources, including the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the European Union and international agricultural organisations. These partnerships have helped to modernise production equipment, improve packaging design and expand business opportunities, including exports to the Netherlands and Trinidad and Tobago.

SURIVIT is a partner beneficiairy of the Fit for Market Plus programme and member of the agrinnovators.org platform.

This activity is supported by the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, implemented by COLEAD within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union. This publication receives financial support from the European Union and the OACPS. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the OACPS.