FOLLOW-ON TRAINING FOR AFRICAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS PROGRAM

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S. Department of State Announces Follow-on Training for the African Women Entrepreneurs Program
Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

October 15, 2012

The U.S. Department of State and the Vital Voices Global Partnership will conduct follow-on training in Nairobi, Kenya for the 2012 African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumnae, October 15-19, 2012. The workshop will focus on business strategic planning, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), export processes and documentation, and how to build a competitive business. The training is funded by the ExxonMobil Foundation, as part of its ongoing commitment to support the economic advancement of women. It will build on Secretary Clinton’s vision of "smart power," which embraces the full range of diplomatic tools – in this case women’s entrepreneurship – to bring people together to foster greater understanding.

AWEP is an initiative launched by the U.S. Department of State in July 2010. It identifies and builds networks of women entrepreneurs across sub-Saharan Africa poised to transform their societies by owning, running, and operating small and medium businesses, and by becoming voices for social advocacy in their communities. This AWEP initiative, benefiting more than 120 participants from 44 African countries, leverages public-private partnerships to increase women’s economic participation and address key barriers that women confront when starting and growing businesses. To learn more about AWEP, click here: http://www.state.gov/p/af/rt/awep/index.htm.