Four hundred and fifty persons living in the Pomeroon-Supenaam, Region Two, now have skills that are more marketable and can venture into their own businesses after recently graduating from the Women’s Innovation and Investment Net-work (WIIN) programme sponsored by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MoHSSS).
These participants graduated on Wednesday in courses such as, patient care, Microsoft Suite, garment construction, care for the elderly, graphic design, and photography.
According to Senior Training Officer of the Guyana Women’s Leader-ship Institute (GWLI), Sanjay Pooran, Essequi-bians had responded positively.
According to Pooran, the WIIN training programme is the brainchild of MoHSSS minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud and was launched in May 2021 to ensure that accredited technical and vocational training was available countrywide.
Minister Persaud in her remarks at the ceremony urged participants to use their skills and knowledge to further develop Region Two. She also impressed upon them, the need to make solid contributions across Region Two, while encouraging the graduates to create opportunities for themselves.
When participants were asked by this newspaper what they intend to do with their certificates, most of them replied that they will be opening their own small business. One such person was Mohini Ragunauth, who did the garment construction course. Ragunauth said that she took the course because she had a passion for sewing and after completing the course she realised that she can now do sewing for her community.
“I didn’t do well in school, so I was clueless. When I heard of the opportunity I said let me try; I did the course and today I can sew a dress” Ragunauth said.
Another participant, Ashmini Narine, said that she will be focussing on cosmetology. Narine said that she also received $50,000 through the WIIN empowerment fund. That money, she said, will be used to open her own business.
