US embassy to mentor 300 Women in entrepreneurship

Ambassador Natalie Brown in centre with some of the participants of the mentoring program

The United States Ambassador to Uganda Natalie Brown on Saturday August 21 launched the second cohort of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), an 8-month program aimed at equipping women with ideas and knowledge on starting and managing businesses.

The US embassy said in a statement that the some 300 female Ugandan entrepreneurs will be equipped with the tools needed to create and grow their own businesses, raise capital, and effectively network with other successful business owners.

The United States established AWE in 2019 to support and amplify the economic contributions of women around the world. Uganda is one of more than 80 countries participating in AWE, receiving educational resources for women entrepreneurs through guided training and engagement from local business leaders to ensure small business growth and success. Since the U.S. Mission in Uganda launched AWE in Uganda, 150 women have graduated from the program.

“AWE provides women entrepreneurs with the skills, resources, and networks needed to start and scale successful businesses.

The statement adds: “The AWE curriculum is based on DreamBuilder, an online platform developed through a partnership between Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management and global copper mining company Freeport-McMoRan.”

During the launch event the American centre in Kabalagala, Ambassador Brown said: “For societies to thrive, women and girls must be able to participate fully in their communities socially, economically, and politically, because investing in women’s economic empowerment sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication, and inclusive economic growth.”

Atiak Co-operative Society is implementing the second AWE cohort in Kampala, Gulu, Soroti, Mbale, and Mbarara in partnership with the Network of Women in Agribusiness and Development (NoWAD), iProfile Foundation, NSSF, Stanbic Business Incubator, and Pooja Chandra Pama, Private AWE Donor and Founder/President of ACE Health Foundation.

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