83 women empowered with business grants

A beneficiary receives her grant from IDB Country Representative Lorena Salazar

Eighty-three women in Guyana were awarded business grants on Wednesday to launch or expand entrepreneurial ventures.

The grants, totalling approximately $25 million, were distributed through a partnership with the Government of Canada and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Each recipient received $ 300,000. Beneficiaries included participants in the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) programme, survivors of gender-based violence, and persons assisted by the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit.

The distribution ceremony was held at the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute (GWLI), East Coast Demerara, and was facilitated through the Social Safety Nets and Gender Empowerment Programme, which aims to provide financial support to women across nine of Guyana’s ten regions.

Delivering the feature address, Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr. Vindhya Persaud described the initiative as a transformational milestone, building on months of intensive training under WIIN.

“We have not just trained you in a particular skill. We have engaged with you so that you can see how your skills can lead to financial independence and stability,” Minister Persaud said. She emphasised accountability and sustainability as the women take the next step in their entrepreneurial journeys and commended the growing number of women entering non-traditional sectors such as construction, oil and gas services, logistics, and technology.

The initiative introduces 83 additional women into Guyana’s network of female-owned businesses, further strengthening gender equality, economic diversification, and women’s leadership, the minister added.

Lorena Salazar, Country Representative of the IDB in Guyana, encouraged the awardees to continue striving for success, noting the grant could positively affect not only their lives but also the well-being of their families.

Tariq Williams, Representative of the High Commissioner of Canada in Guyana, said the partnership between the ministry and IDB continues to open pathways for women’s economic empowerment.

“We are honoured to provide not only training but also capital in the form of business grants,” he said.

The collaborative effort is seen as a major step in strengthening women’s economic independence across Guyana, giving more women the tools, skills, and resources to build sustainable businesses and secure brighter futures. (DPI)