Agartala, March 26, 2024: In a concerted effort to bolster women entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, the U.S. Consulate General Kolkata, in collaboration with Contact Base, orchestrated a transformative two-day state-level Bootcamp of the “Academy for Women Entrepreneurs” (AWE) program in Agartala, Tripura. The event, held on March 26-27, 2024, marked a significant stride towards fostering a conducive ecosystem for female-led businesses in the region.
The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program, generously funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA), has been a beacon of empowerment for women across the globe. With operations spanning over 50 countries and impacting more than 25,000 women entrepreneurs worldwide, AWE epitomizes the spirit of fostering innovation and entrepreneurial spirit among women.
Contact Base, a distinguished social enterprise headquartered in Kolkata, has been at the forefront of empowering women entrepreneurs from Tripura and Mizoram through its initiative “Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) 4.0,” in collaboration with the U.S. Consulate General Kolkata. The program, tailored to cater to early-stage women entrepreneurs, provides comprehensive training encompassing business fundamentals, marketing strategies, and personalized mentoring by seasoned industry professionals. It embodies a concerted effort to nurture a vibrant ecosystem conducive to women’s entrepreneurial endeavors through U.S.-style knowledge dissemination, training, and network-building initiatives.
Since its inception in 2020, the AWE pilot program in India, spearheaded by the Consulate General Kolkata, has been instrumental in catalyzing the growth trajectory of women entrepreneurs across the nation. Participants and alumni of the program have continually forged strategic partnerships, honed essential skills, and explored avenues for funding through robust public-private collaborations, thereby propelling the growth of their ventures. Notably, access to the online “Dream Builder” training program, developed by Arizona State University, has been pivotal in equipping participants with indispensable entrepreneurial acumen.
The two-day boot camp, held at the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Youth Hostel, Agartala, witnessed the participation of over 40 dynamic women entrepreneurs from Tripura, alongside five esteemed business mentors and experts hailing from Assam, West Bengal, and Tripura. These mentors, armed with years of professional expertise, offered invaluable guidance to budding startups, steering them towards sustainable growth trajectories. The participating entrepreneurs, predominantly operating in sectors such as textiles, handicrafts, handlooms, food production, sustainability, and jewelry, engaged in personalized and group mentoring sessions. These sessions facilitated the development of individual business profiles, comprehensive market-customer-product mapping, articulation of growth plans, and identification of capacity gaps. Furthermore, success stories shared by established women entrepreneurs from Tripura served as a wellspring of inspiration for the participants, galvanizing them to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams with unwavering determination.
In her address to the gathering, delivered virtually, Elizabeth Lee, the Public Affairs Officer of the U.S. Consulate Kolkata, and Director of the American Center in Kolkata, underscored the United States’ steadfast commitment to advancing gender equality, equity, and access to resources. She emphasized the pivotal role played by economic empowerment in fostering prosperity, stability, and peace within communities. Lee commended the organizers, facilitators, and entrepreneurs for their collective efforts and exhorted them to persevere in their pursuit of realizing their dreams.
As the boot camp concluded, plans were unveiled to conduct regular online skill-building and mentoring sessions aimed at fortifying the entrepreneurial acumen of women entrepreneurs and fostering the growth of their businesses. With unwavering support from stakeholders and a resolute commitment to gender-inclusive economic development, the AWE initiative continues to chart a transformative course towards a more equitable and prosperous future for women entrepreneurs in Tripura and beyond.
