March 4, 2022
At the start of Women’s History Month, the U.S. Embassy to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, and the OECS celebrates the graduation of the third cohort of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE). Twenty-five female entrepreneurs from across Barbados completed the six-month course, which provided them the skills, resources, and networks needed to start and scale their businesses.
During her remarks, U.S. Ambassador to Barbados Linda Taglialatela expressed great pride in the graduates, acknowledging their commitment despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ambassador Taglialatela said, “In such uncertain times, women entrepreneurs need advocacy, mentoring, and financing. I hope that your time in this program has helped release your talents and creativity.” The Ambassador was joined by newly appointed Chairperson of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Authority (BHTA) Renee Coppin, who served as the featured speaker at the closing ceremony.
The AWE program is an initiative of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs which supports the growth of women entrepreneurs in more than 80 countries around the world. The program includes in person mentorship as well as an online training program with Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Management titled DreamBuilder. Through AWE, the U.S. Embassy remains committed to addressing the inequalities faced by female entrepreneurs and empowering women to improve their entrepreneurship skills and grow their businesses.