Through a joint partnership with the United States (US) Embassy in Georgetown, and WeLead Caribbean, 25 women in rural areas of Guyana, including Venezuelan migrants, will benefit from a five-month programme to assist them in launching a business that will contribute to the economy, build back better communities, and change their lives.
The initiative reduces barriers and provides women entrepreneurs with the skills, resources, and networks needed to start and scale successful businesses, WeLead Caribbean noted.
The project, named ‘Academy for Women Entrepreneurs’ was launched on Tuesday via zoom and was made available to women in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).
WeLead Caribbean’s President, Abbigale Loncke, in her presentation detailed that while women in society are committed to “building their dreams”, many lack the critical skills needed to do it. This is what birthed the idea of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs.
“The goal of this programme is to provide all that is needed to grow and improve one’s business. Being an entrepreneur can be one of the most challenging things, so we will be providing courses in marketing, sale, design, and social media management to help these women grow and improve their business,” Loncke explained.
She added, “The power of a determined woman can change the trajectory of an economy…so see this opportunity as the beginning of your entrepreneurial journey.”
The project received high praise from the US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, who urged for the programme to serve as the catalyst for spinoffs in other regions across Guyana. Ambassador Lynch said that the collaboration with WeLead Caribbean is only part of the embassy’s support for women and so, she encouraged the participants to take full advantage of the opportunity.
Similar sentiments were also expressed by the Minister of Tourism, Industry, and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, who in her remarks, said that supporting this concept of Women’s Economic Empowerment is a significant step to establishing that women add value to the enterprise and economic growth.
“Given the significant barriers that we as women face in the world of business – as indeed we do in many spheres of life – the efforts of WeLEAD Caribbean in launching the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs are timely and welcome.
“Much work is needed to create enabling factors that lead to sustainable change for women and the Government of Guyana is committed to ensuring that women are wholly involved in the development of policy that affects their lives and livelihoods. We are equally committed to changing prevailing attitudes and culture so as to ensure that women’s rights to opportunity equal to men are realized,” she said.
The Academy of Women Entrepreneurs is part of the U.S. Embassy’s ongoing effort to empower women in Guyana to fulfill their economic potential, create conditions for increased stability, security, and prosperity for all Guyanese people.
