246 women empowered to better manage their businesses

Two hundred and forty-six Guyanese women entrepreneurs are now equipped with the right tools to propel them forward in business, after graduating from the Road to Growth and the Bankability Fund for Women (BF4W) Mentorship programmes on Friday.
Two hundred women were awarded certificates under the former programme, while forty-six received certificates after successfully completing the latter.

The Road to Growth initiative is conducted by Action Invest Caribbean Inc., in partnership with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and ExxonMobil Foundation, while the BF4W Mentorship programme is supported by the IDB Lab in partnership with the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association and the Small Business Bureau.
Graduate Abigail John of Propa Local Wines told Ignite News that her best takeaway from the programme was discipline.
“I have grounded myself in self-discipline where I’ve achieved weekly goals and I’ve seen growth through that discipline with my business. I am now able to document, and it has brought about significant growth,” she said.
Another graduate, Ruth Esbrand, said it was a privilege being part of the programme, as it provided an opportunity for extended learning.
“I had a great coach. A lot of things I wasn’t au fait with I got the chance to know. For example, business is not just about business but also self-care. The course really helped me to take care of myself better and not just running after the dollars. On the business side I also learned record-keeping,” she shared.
Delivering the keynote address at the graduation ceremony, hosted at the Theatre Guild in Georgetown, British High Commissioner Jane Miller encouraged the graduates to “be bold, courageous” and claim their seats at the table.
She also encouraged them to invest time and effort into creating a meaningful network and ensuring that it is diverse.
Additionally, she told them to stay adaptable with changes in the business world and be ready to embrace change.
Chief Projects Officer of Action Invest Caribbean Inc., Amrita Naraine, said to date, more than six hundred have graduated with critical business skills under the initiative.
“That’s over six hundred unique journeys of courage, creativity, and determination. Today, they’re graduating with sharper skills, stronger plans and bigger dreams,” she noted.
Founder of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, Cherie Blair, delivering remarks virtually, said women entrepreneurs are leading the charge globally in terms of innovation and visibility support in areas where opportunities were non-existent in times past.