Georgetown, Guyana – (June 13, 2016) First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger, today, launched the Self Reliance and Success in Business Workshop in the town of Bartica, Cuyuni-Mazaruni (Region 7), where more than 25 women will over the next week benefit from training that is expected to help improve their business management skills.
During brief remarks to the group of women in the Boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council office, the First Lady said that it is important for women to be able to enhance their business skills, adding that women have lots of skills that they may not recognise could be marketable.
“[This workshop] will show you how to be good businesswomen… It will show you how to plan, keep records, look at the market, look at the competition and see how you can get beyond that and create your own niche for yourself, not only how to establish a business but how to grow and expand it,” Mrs. Granger said.
The workshops have been held in other parts of the country and the First Lady explained that men have approached her to be part of it. However, she said that targeting women has a specific and beneficial purpose.
“When a woman’s economical standing improves, her family’s standing improves,” she said to loud applause from the participants.
Participants in the workshop assisting in part of the presentation
Mr. Yohann Pooran, Representative of Interweave Solutions, which is the facilitator of the weeklong training programme, highlighted the key objectives of the workshop. “Success in business is exactly that. We teach you skills that if applied correctly, they can help you improve your circumstances financially by helping you build successful businesses,” he said.
Mr. Pooran added that the workshop will explore issues regarding finance, resource management, packaging, the fundamentals of marketing and why poor attitudes can hurt otherwise potentially successful businesses.
“One must put on a positive construct if you want to achieve success. You can’t have a pessimistic outlook. You have to look at solutions, and a large part of successful businesses is that women entrepreneurs can see the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
His Worship, Mr. Gifford Marshall, Mayor of Bartica welcomed the initiative, stating that a focus on bettering the business skills of women could have a positive effect on other issues affecting the region.
“The title of this workshop is very important and it sends a strong message. All of us should be empowered to ensure that the resources that are put into this initiative are put to good use,” the Mayor said.
Mr. Yohann Pooran, Representative of Interweave Solutions, addresses the participants of the workshop
He added that the business sector within Bartica is not perfect, but if residents put their best foot forward to enhance their skills, key problems can be solved.
“We can make a difference with our positive attitudes by applying ourselves using the principles learned at this workshop to improve our town and our Region,” The Mayor said.
This is the fifth such workshop to be held under the auspices of the Office of the First Lady and is funded by the Ministry of Social Protection and the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs. Over the last few months, workshops were also held in Lusignan in Demerara-Mahaica, Linden in Upper Demerara-Berbice
Upper Takutu–Upper Essequibo and Barima–Waini.
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