First Lady, Sandra Granger on Monday launched her ‘Self Reliance and Success in Business Workshop’ at the Mabaruma Learning Resource Centre in Barima-Waini (Region One), where more than 40 women will be exposed to entrepreneurial and management training, a release from the Ministry of the Presidency said.
The release said that the workshop, the fourth of its kind, is being held under the auspices of the Office of the First Lady, and is financed by the Ministry of Social Protection and Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs. The participants, all women, were drawn from communities including: Moruca, Mabaruma, Port Kaituma, Barabina Hill, Kumaka and Hosororo. Some are already small business owners, while the others are hoping to start up.
The release said that reminiscing on her childhood in the region, the First Lady said that there was a time when Barima-Waini was a major food producer but that has not been the case in recent years. “Coming to the North West now, there is a vast difference from coming when I was a child. We didn’t have to import food to the North West. The North West was exporting food to the islands and Georgetown. There was always something growing or being reared,” she said.
She said that it is workshops like these that will empower persons to begin their own businesses and help the region to regain its balance. “One of the objectives of this workshop is to help women to become more productive, more self-reliant and [better educated about business practices that would enable them to make prudent decisions]. It teaches you how to set up, run and establish your business. But it also incorporates your company,” Mrs. Granger said.
Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley lauded the initiative, noting that the growth and development of the region begins with steps such as these.
Regional Executive Officer, Leslie Wilburg encouraged the participants to capitalise on the training being offered so that the true potential of the Region can be achieved.
“This is your time. You are the generation that will help Region One to go forward. These opportunities are supposed to help you so please grasp it with both hands and when you are done here, go back to your communities… get involved and help them through the training you got here. [In this way], not only [will] you benefit, but your region and sub-region benefits. This workshop will take us a far way in reaching our potential and development,” Wilburg was quoted as saying.
The workshop is being conducted by Wayne Barrow of Interweave Solutions, who said the women will be trained to manage a small business, develop small business plans, and write grant proposals, among other skills.
Over 100 persons, mainly women, have already completed the programme, hosted in other regions. The release said that the biggest success story of the workshops is Annie Roopchand, who participated in the Good Hope/Lusignan session and placed third in a National ‘Business Pitch’ Competition that was held during the inaugural Business Expo hosted by this Government.
The second workshop was held in Linden, Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice (Region Ten) and the third in Lethem, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region Nine).
