21,000 women gain skills, start businesses through WIN programme

A businesswoman who benefitted from WIIN training

More than 21,000 women across all ten administrative regions of Guyana have received free skills training through the Women’s Innovation Investment Network (WIN) since the programme’s launch in 2021, officials said.
Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, highlighted the achievement, noting that 5,526 women were trained this year alone using a hybrid model combining in-person community training with online, self-paced courses. The approach allowed women to participate either within their communities or from their homes, depending on their circumstances.
“While we have been able to train all of those women, we have been able to focus on a number of key areas, notably those areas that will lead to women becoming leaders in the care economy. Of that number, 1,175 women have been trained in child care alone. And so, this places them in a very, very good position to start their own consortium or to seek employment when it comes to child care,” Dr. Persaud said.

Additionally, 953 women were trained in elder care, with participants encouraged to prepare for upcoming support initiatives to assist trained caregivers in launching small businesses, either individually or through women-led consortia.
Demand-driven skills training also extended to garment construction, with 327 women trained, including participants from hinterland communities such as Barakara.

Sewing hubs were established to give graduates access to shared workspaces, equipment, and startup kits, enabling them to begin production immediately. Plans are already underway to expand this area further, with a garment and fashion lab scheduled to open in 2026 at the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute.
Through the UK City and Guilds component of the WIN programme, 402 participants, most of them women, were trained in non-traditional fields such as carpentry, welding, masonry, plumbing, and electrical installation.

Entrepreneurship and business literacy also formed a key pillar of the initiative, with a total of 3,460 women receiving business training, and 83 developing full business plans. Many participants, Dr. Persaud noted, were survivors of violence or trafficking and are now transitioning from dependence to financial independence.

Beyond traditional skills, the programme has expanded into technology-focused areas, with 4,033 people trained in artificial intelligence, data, and professional development.
With zero-interest, zero-collateral financing expected to become available through the Guyana Development Bank, women are being urged to register early for WIN programmes to ensure readiness for 2026.