U.S. Embassy Celebrates Women Entrepreneurs Academy Graduates

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Group photo of AWE’s third class of 2022 cohort with Ambassador Marie C. Damour and chief guest, Fiji’s Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Lynda Tabuya

Suva, Fiji: Today the U.S. Embassy in Suva hosted a graduation ceremony for the third cohort of the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE).

Since 2020, the Women Entrepreneur Academy has mentored over 300 Fijian women to start and grow their businesses. The Women Entrepreneurs Business Council and the Makoi Womens Vocational Center facilitate this program through a comprehensive seven-month business skills development course, networking opportunities and an outdoor market where students can sell their products and gain real-world experience.

United States Ambassador to Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga and Ambassador-designate to Nauru and Tuvalu Marie C. Damour welcomed the 105 graduates and congratulated them on completing the course. In his opening remarks, Damour said:

The U.S. Embassy is proud to support a prosperous Fiji. The Women Entrepreneurs Academy is one of the ways we do this. By equipping women with the skills, knowledge and networks to start and grow their businesses, they can help guide Fiji’s economic growth.

The Ambassador also congratulated the graduates for the time and effort invested in the program, telling them:

You have committed to this program, but more importantly, you have committed to yourself. Through your hard work and ingenuity, you have brought your ideas to life and opened up opportunities for yourself and others. I encourage you all to use the lessons you’ve learned and the contacts you’ve made to grow your businesses, create jobs and meet the real needs of your communities.

Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Lynda Tabuya also attended the ceremony where she met graduates and learned firsthand how AWE has helped them turn their dreams into viable businesses.

Ambassador Damour concluded the ceremony by acknowledging the contributions of Mr. Hafiz Kahn, Founder of Makoi Womens Vocational Training Center and AWE Facilitator Ms. Api Kurusiga, both of whom passed away in 2022.

By US Embassy Suva | January 13, 2023 | Topics: News, Press Releases

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