Ramouna Shipunda
Fifty women from across the country last week graduated from the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE). Officially launched in Namibia in November 2020, the programme provides women with the tools needed to create and grow their own businesses, raise capital, and effectively network with other successful business owners.
This year’s ceremony was held in Lüderitz. Public affairs officer of the United States embassy in Namibia, Tiffany Miller, officiated at the graduation ceremony of the second cohort for AWE.
Funded by the US Embassy and implemented with support from SME Compete and Glowdom Namibia, AWE is a global programme run by the US State Department. It currently empowers women entrepreneurs in more than 50 countries. The programme was developed to support the White House-led Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative, which is designed to support women around the world in fulfilling their economic potential.
At the ceremony, the regional councillor for !Nami#nüs, Suzan Ndjaleka, spoke on behalf of local government at the event attended by representatives from the private sector. Other AWE cohorts held their graduation ceremonies in Walvis Bay and Ongwediva. Approximately 70 women have graduated from the five-month-long training course. Participants at the academy were selected from the //Kharas, Erongo, Khomas, Ohangwena and Oshana regions.
“When women are successful, communities prosper, countries thrive, and the world becomes a safer and more stable place for us all. Having successfully completed this course, you are empowered with the resources and knowledge to expand your businesses,” said Miller during the graduation ceremony at the Lüderitz Nest Hotel.
According to the International Finance Corporation, incorporating more women in companies not only helps protect their rights but at the same time, it is also good for business.