Three businesses have won the “Entrepreneurial Elite Award” in the
Business Plan Competition of the Women’s Empowerment Project – SVG
sponsored by the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
On 8 th March (International Women’s Day), Ambassador Peter Sha-Li Lan,
Hon. Camillo Gonsalves, Minister of Finance, Hon. Orando Brewster,
Minister of National Mobilisation and Gender Affairs, and Hon. Keisal
Peters, Minister of State with Responsibility for Foreign Affairs and
Foreign Trade, presented awards and cheques of EC$26,000 to each winner
at the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan). The winners are Jessica
Jaja form Bequia Threadworks, Sophia Searles of Searles Agro Products,
and Kenna Questelles of Kinexxio.
Ambassador Lan explained that the Women’s Empowerment Project – SVG
is a mega project in response to the impact of COVID-19 and volcanic
eruption of La Soufrière, which comprised several components, such as
vocational skills training, business counseling and the program of
International Initiative. The winners were among the participants of the
“Entrepreneurial Elite Award” project in the second half of 2021. There
would be two more rounds of the same training courses to be executed
during the first and second half of this year.
Ambassador Lan therefore encouraged Vincentian women from every walk
of life to participate in all the projects under the Women’s Empowerment
Project.
Hon. Minister Gonsalves congratulated the winners of “Entrepreneurial
Elite Award” on their achievements in excelling in the keen competition.
He said the small and medium enterprises were greatly impacted by the
pandemic and the volcanic eruption, hence the “Entrepreneurial Elite
Award” would enable the winners to facilitate their business plans and
could serve as models for other women to develop the spirit of
entrepreneurship.
Hon. Minister Brewster said in his remarks that after intensive training and
rigorous procedure, the winners had proved that they had the capabilities of
realizing their remarkable business plans. Both Ministers thanked the
Republic of China (Taiwan) as the genuine partner in the development of St
Vincent and the Grenadines, and urged all Vincentian women to grasp the
opportunity to join in the project.
Hon. Minister Peters conveyed greetings in a pre-recorded video on the day
recognized as International Women’s Day. She also noted that the last two
years have been difficult for the women of Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines. In light of the foregoing, the Government of the Republic of
China (Taiwan) would be collaborating with the Government of Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines to present the Women’s Empowerment Project.
She urged Vincentian women, including civil society organizations to take
advantage of this grand opportunity.
The winners of “Entrepreneurial Elite Award” on the second half of 2021
are Bequia Threadworks, Searles Agro Products and Kinexxio. Each of
them was granted a trophy and the fund of EC$26,000 to help them
accelerate their business plans.
The Women’s Empowerment Project – SVG is co-sponsored by the
Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Government of
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and is being implemented by the Taiwan
Technical Mission, Centre for Enterprise Development (CED) and
Department of Adult and Continuing Education (DACE). (E)