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By Christy Anyanwu
The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), a US government initiative that supports women entrepreneurs around the world, Friday, graduated a diverse group of 250 women in IIe-Ife.
The programme designed to help women entrepreneurs connect with funding opportunities, enhance opportunities for business expansion, and increase the likelihood of entrepreneurial success, drew participants from a range of backgrounds and businesses
To date, the US consulate has successfully supported the training of 470 women entrepreneurs through the AWE programme with plans for future cohorts.
This year’s participants included 50 repatriated irregular migrants who were in various stages of building their businesses.
US Ambassador, Mary Beth Leonard, reiterated the commitment of the U.S. government to support women’s full and free participation in the economy as they seek to thrive in the workforce, succeed as entrepreneurs, and create stability as well as prosperity in their communities.
She expressed great pride in the graduates, acknowledging their commitment to the successful completion of the programme despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have been impressed with the enthusiasm of the programme’s participants and the expertise of the trainers,” Leonard said.
