The US Embassy in South Africa in partnership with the Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) has a new opportunity for business and management training for South African female entrepreneurs.
The eight-month Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) South Africa programme also includes mentorship sessions. The programme will take place in the Durban-Pietermaritzburg area, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, and Cape Town.
âAWE is an opportunity for women entrepreneurs across South Africa to gain university-level business and management training, strengthen their networks and grow as entrepreneurs,â said US Embassy Public Affairs Officer, Maureen Mimnaugh.
She said particularly in a post-Covid-19 world, the tools for successful entrepreneurship will be more important seeing that programme aims to support women in a recovering economy of innovation.
AWIEF Founder and CEO Irene Ochem said theyâre excited to be a partner in implementing this important programme tailored for womenâs economic empowerment.âThe AWE programme will not only help the selected 125 female entrepreneurs but will also benefit their families, their communities and the economic development of South Africa, said Ochem â
Applications are invited from motivated and self-driven female entrepreneurs for the AWE South Africa 2020 programme. It caters for women between 21 and 35 years of age and fluent in English, must reside in one of the five AWE 2020 South Africa Cities and must either have a feasible business idea or have been in business for no more than two years.
Selected candidates will receive a no-cost entry to the programme, which includes enrolment in the DreamBuilder platform and expert facilitated virtual and in-person business management training and mentorship sessions. They will also engage in networking and peer learning opportunities with like-minded entrepreneurs, as well as collaboratively develop and refine drafts of their business plan.
The entrepreneurs will also have access to a robust network of support, including follow-on opportunities, potential funders, and a vast network of like-minded entrepreneurs across the country.
AWE is an initiative of the US State Departmentâs Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) as part of the White House-led Womenâs Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative, which aims to empower 50-million women worldwide to fulfil their economic potential by 2025.
Currently, AWE supports the growth of women entrepreneurs by equipping them with the practical skills, resources, mentorship, and networks needed to create sustainable businesses and enterprises.
Applicants are invited to apply before September 30.
