The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) has introduced the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), a program aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs globally. This initiative aligns with the White House-led Women's Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, focusing on equipping women with essential skills to develop sustainable businesses.
The program offers an inclusive learning environment where participants can learn business fundamentals such as creating business plans and raising capital. AWE provides access to DreamBuilder, an online course on women's entrepreneurship created through a partnership between Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Global Management and Freeport-McMoRan, a global copper mining company. Participants will engage in lessons on business management and network with fellow entrepreneurs and mentors both regionally and in the United States.
AWE is structured around three primary objectives: providing online educational resources, fostering mentorship networks, and connecting women through existing exchange programs.
The first group of participants includes women from 26 countries across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. These countries are The Bahamas, Barbados, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Kenya, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Rwanda, Senegal, Spain, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
AWE supports the W-GDP Initiative led by the White House. This initiative aims to empower at least 50 million women worldwide by 2025 to reach their economic potential while fostering conditions for increased stability and prosperity globally.
For further details about AWE or media inquiries contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at eca-press@state.gov.