Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
US Embassy Dhaka’s Public Diplomacy Section, in collaboration with BRAC University, inaugurated the second-ever cohort of the ‘Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE)’ programme in Bangladesh on Thursday.
Stephen F. Ibelli, Public Affairs Counselor at the US Embassy, inaugurated the programme at the EMK Center in Dhaka.
AWE, a global initiative led by the US Department of State, provides enterprising women with the knowledge, professional network, and foundational materials essential for launching and expanding successful businesses.
In collaboration with BRAC University’s Center for Entrepreneurship Development, the US Embassy is deeply committed to supporting young aspiring women entrepreneurs, promoting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and nurturing local women business leaders, especially those from historically underrepresented communities, said a spokesperson of the Embassy.
As a flagship programme promoting entrepreneurship through increased trade, AWE aligns seamlessly with the US Strategy of Global Women’s Economic Security, which envisions a world where women and girls from diverse backgrounds can fully, meaningfully, and equally contribute to and benefit from global economic growth and prosperity, the spokesperson added.
The second cohort of the AWE programme is set to empower 90 participants from three distinct geographic locations: Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet.
Participants from Chattogram and Sylhet will join the sessions at the EMK Center virtually through Zoom.
The programme's goal this year is to recruit participants from historically underrepresented, indigenous, and minority communities, as well as women aged 20-45 who have traditionally been excluded from participation in formal training programmes, the spokesperson said.
As a US government exchange initiative, AWE connects women with American learning and expertise, fostering stronger ties among women entrepreneurs across diverse American and Bangladeshi markets.
The AWE programme is in collaboration with Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management (ASU) and the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, the creators of DreamBuilder—a no-cost online learning platform. This platform imparts fundamental business skills from a US perspective and offers access to soft-skills training to enhance participants’ overall business acumen.
The programme is a comprehensive three-month course tailored for aspiring women entrepreneurs. It provides hands-on training in Bangla conducted by industry experts, focusing on core business skills with an emphasis on sustainability.