Women entrepreneurs from across the country are preparing to showcase their businesses at the sixth annual WeLift conference and exposition, set to open on Friday.
The three-day event will see approximately 460 women-led business owners showcase their vibrant products and services, and is set to run from March 6-8.
The highly anticipated event will provide a platform for women-owned businesses to showcase their products and services, build networks and explore opportunities to expand into new markets under this year’s theme, ‘Made by Guyanese Women for the World’.
The exposition comes on the heels of a recent stakeholders forum hosted by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security ahead of the event, where women vendors were given the opportunity to connect with financial institutions, business support agencies and other key public and private sector partners.
That engagement allowed both new and seasoned entrepreneurs to seek advice, explore partnerships and strengthen their business readiness ahead of the major showcase.
“This is a very purposeful way that you have all come together in a single room, through this platform, through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, to make sure that you are ready for not only Guyana, but I’d like to think the world out there. After five years of WeLift, I think it’s time you move to the rest of the world. And the intention behind all of this is to provide support,” the minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud, had said.
Minister Persaud further stated, “I have seen over the five years, the unparalleled growth, not only of your business, but of you, each one of you, who are here as entrepreneurs. I have seen many of you step into the world of entrepreneurship for the first time. You’ve put aside your fears, you’ve put aside the challenges that you know that are out there. You’ve surmounted a lot of the adversity and obstacles to be where you are right now.”
Some 400 businesses are expected to be part of this year’s WeLift exposition.