U.S. Department of State Hosts Regional Summit for Women Entrepreneurs in East Africa

In a bid to promote economic access and empower women in East Africa, the U.S. Department of State has welcomed over 100 female business owners from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Great Lakes area of Uganda to the regional summit for the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) exchange program. The summit going to held from July 11 to 13, is taking place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and is hosted in 10^th July by the U.S. Embassy.

The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) aims to equip women with the necessary knowledge, networks, and access to establish and expand successful enterprises. As an integral part of broader U.S. initiatives to promote economic access and opportunity for women, AWE has been operating in 25 African nations since its inception in 2019. It has successfully empowered over 6,000 female business owners, enabling them to realize their full economic potential.

The East Africa Summit seeks to strengthen and advance women-led businesses in the region. The event features interactive workshops, sessions, and networking opportunities led by American women entrepreneurs, government officials, representatives from the U.S. African Development Foundation, the Department of State, and Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Management (ASU). These sessions will focus on topics such as business sustainability, funding, and technology trends.

One of the key collaborations behind AWE is with Arizona State University and the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, creators of DreamBuilder. This free online learning tool instructs AWE participants in the principles of American business, further enhancing their entrepreneurial skills. AWE serves as a flagship program aligning with the U.S. Strategy on Global Women's Economic Security, encouraging entrepreneurship and fostering greater commerce. Globally, AWE has benefited an estimated 25,000 women and has been implemented in more than 100 countries.

The regional summit signifies a significant step towards empowering women entrepreneurs in East Africa and creating a platform for increased people-to-people interaction. Through initiatives like AWE, the U.S. Department of State continues to champion economic access and opportunity for women, paving the way for a more inclusive and prosperous future.