The inaugural United Nations (UN) Women Yemanja Collaborative: Leadership and Networking Workshop for Woman Entrepreneurs was held in Kingston from December 5-7th. It targets women of Afro descent from the Caribbean, North and South America and Africa and has the aim of strengthening leadership capacity, empower and equip participants to scale businesses and create meaningful jobs.
The workshop also creates network building and mentorship opportunities for entrepreneurs in the agricultural processing and cultural and creative industries.
The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, during her greetings at the opening ceremony on December fifth at the ROK Hotel, in downtown Kingston, welcomed the initiative. The Minister stated, “This training and networking workshop presents a great opportunity for us to examine the progress made in advancing gender equality and empowerment of women and girls and explore how progress can be accelerated.”
While Representative, UN Women Multi-Country Office, Caribbean, Tonni Brodber added in her remarks that, “[A key] objective of the project is to contribute to enhancing the economic empowerment and resilience of women and youth in the micro, small and medium enterprises in the creative and cultural and growth industries in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa through strengthened networks and opportunities for employability and entrepreneurship.”
The participants were nominated by their national business support organizations and saw them engaged in leadership skills coaching and featured breakout sessions with a focus on coaching in business pitches, diaspora and networking opportunities in Africa and the diaspora, business development coaching, and business financing facilities. The sessions were facilitated by industry experts from UN Women, the Jamaica Business Development Corporation, the University of the West Indies, and the Caribbean Development Bank, as well as other local and international stakeholders.
The end of the workshop had participants pitching their business plans and proposals as well as receiving feedback from a panel of experts. Ultimately, it was a joint program between Un WWomen and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, that aims to promote the recognition, justice, and development of Afro-descendant women, youth, and women across marginalized groups.
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