“Learn to be thankful for what you have” - 20 encouraged during WEP graduation

“Learn to be thankful for what you have” – 20 encouraged during WEP graduation

Jul 26, 2019 News

The conference room of the Guyana National Library was overflowing with jubilation as 20 exceptional women graduated from the “Women Empowerment Project” (WEP), yesterday.

The graduating women and sponsors

Unicomer Guyana Inc. partnered with Cerulean Inc. to carry out the programme which has been ongoing for the past three months. There are three more months to go for the project to come to an end.
The programme stemmed from Unicomer’s Broadening Horizons Customer Service Representative Initiative which was developed to strengthen small businesses in Guyana.
Customer Experience Manager of Unicomer Guyana Inc, Shonelle Bacchus, said, “I feel really proud that our company could have invested in these 20 women. One of them has even said that she was so happy that bigger companies are investing in smaller companies.”
“That statement touched me because it is these same small businesses that will in turn come back to Courts and be our partners or customers.”
In a charge to the graduates, Managing Director of Courts Guyana Inc., Clyde DeHaas, left a quote with the women as they go back to their businesses. “It is not how hard you fall. It is about how hard you bounce back.”
According to a majority of the graduating individuals, the project was very effective in the sense that they may have thought that they had all the tools to run their business. However, they are now equipped with a wider set of skills.
By applying the new knowledge a participant was already placed as a finalist in a competition for funds to small businesses around the world. This has taken that individual to Colombia and soon Dubai.
WEP targets young entrepreneurs to equip them with skills that will better their business entities. The project trained individuals to manage their financing, leadership and employment so that as they [entrepreneurs] look at expanding their business they will know how to manage these aspects.
The programme targets persons within the age limit of 18 to 30.
Manager Bacchus, said that from the time the programme was advertised within a matter of days persons signed up to join.
“This programme was already on the way with our regional branches. As soon as it was advertised in Guyana we were already filled.”
According to Ms Bacchus, they started with such a small figure so that it allows them the opportunity to properly assess the programme to determine its effectiveness.
The programme was held twice a week– every Tuesday and Thursday. Participants met for two hours to go through the various stages. According to the sponsors, men will be added to the upcoming programmes.
During the three months the women were given personalized training on marketing, managing finances and some tips to grow their businesses.
These in-class sessions were followed by a two-week internship programme that allowed the participants to work in some of the most distinguished companies in Guyana to get practical experience in the application of some of the concepts taught.
One of the participants even did her internship right at Courts. The remaining three months of the programme will be done in the form of one on one personal business coaching sessions for each participant with the tutor of their choice.
Given the completion of the classroom sessions, participants will now graduate and be equipped to more successfully manage their businesses. (Trishan Craig)

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News