On Sunday, ActionINVEST Caribbean Inc. held a graduation ceremony of 96 women entrepreneurs who successfully completed the Road to Growth and Road to Finance programmes delivered by ActionINVEST Caribbean Inc. sponsored by the ExxonMobil Foundation in collaboration with Cherie Blair Foundation for Women. Road to Growth and Road to Finance are two of five flagship programmes offered by the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women.
Road to Growth is designed to build the business skills and financial literacy of women entrepreneurs and Road to Finance, Developed in 2021, supports ambitious women to build their skills and confidence in order to successfully secure finance, grow their businesses and achieve their potential.
Coach Keon Smith, Director of ActionINVEST Caribbean Inc., commenced the ceremony with opening remarks. Following was Ms. Upasna Mudlier, Co-Facilitator who offered an overview of the course. Ms. Leanne Baker, programme specialist for HerVenture, Cherie Blair Foundation, elaborated on the success of HerVenture and affiliated business support training.
Dr. Mathias Terheggen, Chairman, Cherie Blair Foundation, expressed that the Foundation is “an act of partnership,” with gratitude to ExxonMobil Foundation and ActionINVEST Caribbean Inc., using mobile technology for business acumen, supporting over 40 women at the Berbice Chamber of Commerce, New Amsterdam in the past week. He emphasized that ActionINVEST Caribbean Inc. turns opportunities into successes.
Ms. Suzanne De Abreu, Community Relations Manager, ExxonMobil Guyana, reflected on the value ExxonMobil Foundation places on corporate social responsibility of women’s empowerment, and the strategic goal of deploying technological learning which supports women entrepreneurs directly, to financial independence.
Mrs. Jane Miller OBE, British High Commissioner, extended three invaluable pieces of advice to the graduates, taking their “seat” among opportunities, selecting a suitable mentor, and changing their mentor if chemistry is lacking.
Dr. Alana James, participant of the Road to Finance, reminisced on her participation in the programme, where she encouraged the women entrepreneurs to view their small business as a growing business, and to acknowledge the importance of numerical literacy in maintaining profitability.
