Latin America & Caribbean Business Women Trained in Nicaragua.

VITAL VOICES FELLOWSHIP  

TRAINING FOR LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN BUSINESS WOMEN HELD IN MANAGUA, NICARAGUA - October, 2013

Invitations were sent out to organisations from the Americas and the Caribbean for business women to put in applications to participate in a yearlong programme geared at improving their businesses.  Applications were received and vetted by the Vital Voices team and the selection process moved to the next stage.  Business women identified as prospective participants were interviewed to ensure that they meet the criteria and a final selection was made.

The programme involved webinars over eight weeks covering topics such as,  knowing your market, finance, business planning, and leadership.  During these webinars we had an opportunity to view material,  ask questions and learn from each other.  The various topics were facilitated by Consultants from Latin America who spoke impeccable English.  Participants were also expected to submit assignments via Course site and were given access to Harvard Mentor Management Website where they were exposed to up to date business concepts, concisely presented by Harvard experts.  This site has proven to be an excellent and highly desirable resource.  The Leadership Session was facilitated by the President and CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership Alyse Nelson, who is also a co-founder of the organisation. 

The training session which was held in Managua, Nicaragua from October 23rd to October 26th, 2013 was attended by thirty (30) women business owners from various sectors.  Fifteen   (15) countries in Latin America and the Caribbean were represented.  Twenty three (23) attendees from Latin America and seven from the Caribbean.  The countries represented from Latin America were, Mexico, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Brazil, Argentine, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Peru, Honduras.  Seven Caribbean Countries were represented; they included two from Jamaica, one from Guyana, one from Haiti, one from the Dominican Republic, and two from Saint Lucia, in the persons of Thecla C. Deterville of Celestial Self Development Centre, Sans Souci, Castries and Rachel Du Boulay of The Inner Gallery, Bois Orange, Gros Islet. 

Though the larger group came from Latin America, all sessions was conducted in English it was comforting to see the ease with which our Latin American colleagues switched between Spanish and English in some cases with perfect diction where it was impossible to ascertain that their native language was Spanish.  Despite English being the universal language it is certainly a lesson for us English speakers to recognise the value of a second language in International Business circles.  Our hosts were very gracious in this regard and made every effort to ensure our ease and comfort despite the difference in our native language.

On average, the women in the Vital Voices GROW project have been running their businesses for seven years or more.  Together they create more than 350 jobs, with sales from their SMEs totalling more than $6 million USD.  The connections and businesses-to-business opportunities that arose over the course of the training will strengthen a new, evolving network of women business owners in Latin America and the Caribbean.

VV GROW is designed to build the Fellows’ business management capacity, leadership skills and networks, in order to expand the women’s impact in their communities by growing their small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).  The comprehensive training integrates innovative business trends and interactive learning techniques, unlocking national and regional economic growth through high potential women-owned SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Vital Voices was founded some 16 years ago by then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.  The organization  has among its major partners Exxon Mobile, The Wal-Mart Foundation, Bank of America, Goldman Sacks, Humanity United, Avon Foundation for Women, Paul Singer, Abbott, Nike Foundation, Standard Chartered, Ann Taylor Loft, Catapult, Department of State and the Diller-Von Furstenberg Family.

The programme will run for two year with the provision of technical assistance, the opportunity to network and create synergies amongst participants.  The training sessions were of a high standard and served as a refresher for some participants and allowed for the exchange of ideas and the sharing of experiences amongst participants. Participants should emerge with a comprehensive business plan, enhanced through the new learning and designed to take their businesses to the next level.

It was clear that regardless of which part of the world that Women Entrepreneurs emanate from the challenges we face as women, are indeed the same.  Through initiatives such as these we will have a greater appreciation of the realities and recognise that our challenges are not unique to us. We will garner strength from each other and recognised that there are tremendous lessons to be learnt from the experiences of each other, as we move forward to improve our lot, that of our families, and our communities.

AN EXPERIENCE NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN
For more information log on to: http://www.vitalvoices.org/global-initiatives