U.s. department OF STATE

the program

• The African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) is a trade and investment initiative started by the U.S. Department of State in 2010.

• In partnership with USAID, AWEP it provides professional networking, business development and trade capacity building opportunities for networks of prominent women entrepreneurs across Sub-Saharan Africa. 

• AWEP business leaders are transforming their societies by owning, operating and managing small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) and becoming voices for social advocacy in their communities. 

Program activities

•International Leadership Visitors Program (IVLP)•Annual AWEP-AGOA Forum•Business Incubator Program•Export Readiness Pilot•SME Live Banking Event

2014 International Leadership Visitors Program (IVLP)

• Theme: "African Women Entrepreneurship Program:  Business and Leadership” in English and French

• Dates: July-August 2014

• Goal:

• Showcase women's entrepreneurial advancements in the U.S. and sector-specific business best practices;

• Offer opportunities to meet American businesspeople; • Introduce business growth, advocacy and networking

models; &• Provide workshops on leadership and management.

• Firm Diagnostic Surveys

• Chapter-Led Business Trainings

• Product Design & Packaging

• Exporting Under AGOA

• Trade Show Preparation

• Pitching to Banks• Digital Literacy• Financial Management• Community Service

awep business incubatorsEmpowering awep chapters

Leveraging African growth & opportunity act (agoa)

2013 AWEP-AGOA Forum

• Led by AWEP-Ethiopia Chapter

• Policy Dialogues with Trade Ministers

• Conference

• Business-to-Business (B2B) Networking Event

• More than 100 AWEP members & 25 U.S. buyers participated

• More than 30 AWEP members participated in the second annual SME Live Banking Forum held in Lagos, Nigeria on November 4-5, 2013.

• The event was organized by the African Diaspora Marketplace (ADM) in conjunction with the Bank of Industry, Western Union and USAID.

• 14 African banks participated.

2013 SME Live Banking EventLagos, Nigeria

2014 Export Promotion Pilot

• Initial diagnostic survey for prospective participations (currently underway)

• Selection of 10-15 Promising Firms

• Small Enterprise Assistance Funds (SEAF)-facilitated business consultant services in the following areas:

• Acquiring Finance• Facilitating linkages with international buyers• Business Development

• AWEP Train the Trainer Program

• Participants will be required to train AWEP members in their home country on what they learned

LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY PLAN

• Expanding the AWEP Business Incubator Program

• Developing Public, Private, Partnerships (PPP)

• Gender financing facility• Encouraging a greater focus

on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

• Local partners:

• SME Development Agencies of Nigeria (SMEDAN)

• Bank of Industry

• Sectors

• Agribusiness• Fashion & Design• Food Processing• Home Decor• IT• Textiles

AWEP NIGERIA

308 Active Members1,650 Employees

AWEP NIGERIA 2013 EVENTSAWEP NIGERIA NATIONAL CHAPTER

LUNCHEON, LOCATION, April 2013

• 300 members in attendance

• Networking and educational opportunity for AWEP members

INTEL TRAINING, Nigeria, April 2013

• Computer utilization training

• 150 members in attendance.

SELECTED MEMBER AT INTERNATIONAL VISITORS’ LEADERSHIP PROGRAM Washinton , July-August 2013

• Two member selected for attendance from Nigeria every year. Since 2011

AWEP NIGERIA 2013 EVENTS

AFRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT (AGOA) FORUM Washington, DC, May 2013

• Seven members were sponsored to attend by Global Shea Alliance

• AWEP Nigeria had a booth at the forum

AWEP/AGOA CONFERENCE Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, August 2013

• 27 members in attendance

• Largest representation of all AWEP chapters

My Experience

In 2011, privileged nominee of AWEP training in Washington DC

CEO/MD of first cassava glucose factory in Nigeria (2007 – 2012

Participated in motivational talk at AWEP training in 2011 and this led to set-up/founding of PSALTRY INTERNATIONAL COMPANY LIMITED

PSALTRY INTERNATIONAL Co Ltd

Company profile Agro-based company registered

in Nigeria

Acquired 500 ha of farmland within 10,000ha community farmland in Alayide/Wasinmi Village, Ado Awaiye, ISEYIN. Oyo State Nigeria

PIL cultivated cassava on over 300 ha as back up for the cassava starch factory

A 20 TPD cassava starch factory was built, and commissioned in May 2013

Over 500 farmers with about 30% women were organized into clusters/outgrowers supplying about 70% cassava requirement to the factory

PSALTRY INTERNATIONAL Co Ltd

Impact of PSALTRY in host community

Employment of 200 staff (about 20% women)

Rural infrastructural development (rural road, borehole water, etc)

Capacity building for farmers (training, demonstrations, coaching)

Improvement in farmers yearly income revenue from about $1000pa to about $10000pa per farmer

More Girl child encouraged to go to school,

Happy awep nigeria member

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AWEP Nigeria

secretariat.awepng@gmail.com

Phone: 08166372307, 08028911415