Application is now open for women entrepreneurs in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu

The State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) established the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) in 2019 to provide women with the knowledge, networks, and access they need to start and scale successful businesses.

By promoting women’s economic opportunities and ensuring women have the capabilities and resources needed to participate in the economy, the AWE program directly supports the U.S. National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality. Implemented in nearly 80 countries, AWE has helped more than 15,000 women entrepreneurs around the world grow their businesses and adapt to new economic realities under COVID-19.

AWE is a flexible educational opportunity that combines the online platform DreamBuilder, developed through a partnership between Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Management and the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, with localized in-class mentoring and facilitation.

Through the AWE program, participants learn core business skills like strategic planning, marketing, and financial management, then apply these skills in classroom activities and experiential learning with mentors from the local business community.

The Department of State through the U.S. Embassy, will partnered with the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs Alumni Association Inc to administer this program. We were privileged to have also partnered with the Women’s Business Resources Center, Em Stret Holdings Limited who delivered the virtual program, and ExxonMobil, Coca Cola, Paradise Brewery, and Investment Promotion Authority for their generous support.

The MOOC (DreamBuilder) is flexible enabling women to complete the courses before a set deadline. Participants work at their own pace completing one module per week for 14 weeks combined with an intensive two days in-person workshop.

Courses

The DreamBuilder courses are:

1) Starting Your Dream

2) Exploring Your Dream

3) Planning Your Dream

4) Making Your Dream

5) Marketing Your Dream

6) Pricing Your Dream

7) Selling Your Dream

8) Managing Your Dream

9) Profiting from Your Dream

10) Keeping Track of Your Dream

11) Funding Your Dream

12) Formalizing Your Dream

13) Turning Your Dream into Reality Optional

14) Financing Your Dream

Program Activities:

• Online registration and virtual launch
• Virtual training sessions
• Two days in-person workshop
• AWE Alumni Fair – 2 days
• Graduation
• Fashion Show

Benefits:

1. Successful participants become member of the:

• Global Exchange Alumni
• PNG U.S. Alumni Association
• SI U.S. Alumni Association
• Vanuatu U.S. Alumni Association
• AWE Alumni Association Inc.

2. Apply for the AWE Seed money
3. Connect with an established mentoring network
4. Professional

How to apply:

Online applications are now open to interested female entrepreneurs from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.

Apply here: https://forms.gle/PzuXgrcpzpww1GuX9

Email: AWE-PNG@state.gov

Application closes: Monday March 13th, 2023

Three Simple Steps:

1. Click the link to complete the online application.

2. Upload all essential required documents as a single pdf file.

3. Submit the completed application.