Ethiopia: U.S. Commits to Build Ethiopian Women Entrepreneurs’ Capacity

March 10, 2024 E Jazz Reporter

The United States has expressed its commitment to offer worldwide networking opportunities and training to Ethiopian women entrepreneurs that are aimed at enhancing their entrepreneurial capacities.

In a statement sent to The Ethiopian Herald, the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia has pledged to give capacity-building training and global networking opportunities for Ethiopian women entrepreneurs to assist them in expanding their businesses.

Recently, the U.S. Embassy launched the 4th Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) in Ethiopia. The AWE program will provide aspiring women entrepreneurs with targeted capacity-building training to enhance their businesses.

“Empowering women in the economy and closing gender gaps in the world of work are key to achieving sustainable development. Financial resources have limitations while conflicts hurt the Ethiopian economy; this kind of network is the solution,” said the U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Ervin Massinga, during the launching program.

The fourth-year project by AWE aims to provide capacity-building and global networking to 250 Ethiopian women. The program will be implemented by the Center for Accelerated Women’s Economic Empowerment (CAWEE).

Ambassador Massinga participated in a roundtable discussion on International Women’s Month, involving representatives from AWEP, U.S Development Fund, and women exporters to celebrate successes and challenges in establishing export-oriented enterprises and strengthening the AWEP Ethiopia Chapter. The Ambassador encouraged these pioneering entrepreneurs to work together to enter the global market, despite the challenges.

In addition, Ambassador Massinga visited an exhibition of products and services provided by thirty women-led small and medium enterprises.

The statement further stated that the AWE program, facilitated by the U.S. government’s Dream Builder online course, has trained 338 women entrepreneurs since 2020, many of whom have established successful small and medium enterprises.