US Launches Academy for Women Entrepreneurs Program in Dhaka

Stephen F. Ibelli, Public Affairs Counselor at the US Embassy, opened the second cohort of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program at the EMK Center in Dhaka on November 30, 2023. AWE, a global effort headed by the US Department of State, aims to provide ambitious women with the knowledge, professional network, and foundational tools they need to succeed in business.

The US Embassy in Dhaka, in collaboration with BRAC University's Center for Entrepreneurship Development, expressed a strong commitment to aspiring women entrepreneurs, promoting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and nurturing local women business leaders, particularly from historically underrepresented communities.

The AWE initiative, which is aligned with the US Strategy for Global Women's Economic Security, envisions a world in which women may fully contribute to and benefit from global economic growth. The second cohort, comprised of 90 individuals from Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet, will participate in sessions electronically via Zoom.

This year, the program targets recruiting participants from historically underrepresented, indigenous, and minority groups, as well as women aged 20 to 45, who are generally underrepresented in formal training programs. AWE, a US government exchange program, links women with American knowledge and skills, establishing better linkages among women entrepreneurs in a variety of sectors.

The AWE Program offers a complete three-month course targeted for budding women entrepreneurs in cooperation with Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Global Management and the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, makers of DreamBuilder—an online learning platform. The program, led by industry professionals in Bangla, focuses on essential business skills with an emphasis on sustainability.

Notably, according to a 2021 review by the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 74% of AWE graduates reported better wages, and 29% recruited more staff after the program, demonstrating the program's influence on revenue generating and job creation. AWE actively encourages women's economic engagement and equips them with skills necessary for handling economic obstacles such as the COVID-19 epidemic.