-by Nakasia Logan
From small businesses to national leadership, women across Guyana are being encouraged to expand their influence and economic impact.
That message took center stage today as the sixth edition of the We Lift conference and exposition got underway.
The conference was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre under the theme “Let Her Bloom – Made by Guyanese Women for the World.”
Earlier today, women and girls from across the country gathered for the conference and panel discussions hosted by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, focusing on leadership, empowerment and economic growth.
During the opening, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud encouraged women to use their voices and influence to create opportunities and spaces for others, while also highlighting the importance of strengthening the care economy in Guyana.
“Use your voices to create spaces because we are no longer battering down the door to have a space we are in those spaces we need to redesign, reimagine and create to ensure that our voices and prospective and what we want to achieve become the kind of reality that is not seen as mere anomalies or tokens but everyday occurrences,” she said on Friday.
The entrepreneurs had the opportunity to showcase products and services that highlight the innovation and resilience of women-led businesses across Guyana. In invited comments to NCN News, these women expressed their excitement at the opportunity and commended the initiative as a viable platform for business exposure.
Representative of The Java Experience and Make-Up Artist Donelle Harvey said that the expo has granted her business another unique opportunity to make its mark in the Guyanese market.
“This is also our soft launch into the world of beauty and make up so we took the opportunity to come and share and make ourselves known at We Lift 6,” she said.
For Nalini Jaikarran of Shine Line Beauty Products, the expo allows her to connect with customers who may be experiencing challenges with hair loss, effectively expanding her clientele.
She told NCN News, “We are so happy and glad that we could deliver a natural product or people because we have [seen] a lot of hair loss and our products help with that. And this is the first time we are here at we lift.”
Owner of NGC Naturals, NaAsia Bristol, divulged that this expo is a milestone for her business, as it enables her to showcase her natural hair products to a wider audience. She expressed pride in her products and added that her business’ presence at WeLift6 means a lot to her and her family.
“This is my first time at any expo, the only expo I have ever attended was my own personal expo in front of my yard, this is a very big milestone for me for my business for my family,” the young entrepreneur said.
We Lift Six runs from March 6 to March 8.