The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) is an
initiative of the U.S. Department of State and Arizona State University’s Thunderbird
School of Global Management. It supports the U.S. National Strategy on Gender, Equity and Equality
and reflects the United States’ commitment to advancing gender equity and
economic prosperity in Southern Africa
The Academy for Women
Entrepreneurs LESA (Lesotho, Eswatini and South Africa) program is centred on
the Francis and Dionne Najafi 100 Million Learners Global Initiative, an accredited online global management and
entrepreneurship certificate consisting of five world-class courses and available
to learners across the globe.
The overall goal of the program is to promote
economic prosperity, including equitable economic development opportunities for
historically disadvantaged groups and individuals. AWE LESA provides a resource for women entrepreneurs
to engage in online education with guided facilitation and localization;
fosters networks that support participants’ access to peer-to-peer mentorship,
business partners, and scaling opportunities with businesses in the region and
in the United States; as well as provides access to a range of educational
programs tailored to women’s economic empowerment to expand the impact on the
participant.
AWE LESA 2024 will empower 100 young women
entrepreneurs in seven cities – five in South Africa and one each in Lesotho and Eswatini. The
program will host cohorts in Bloemfontein (10 participants), Cape Town (10
participants), Johannesburg (15 participants), Polokwane (15 participants),
Manzini (20 participants), Maseru (20 participants), and Pietermaritzburg (10
participants). The participants will attend in-person training sessions and
events at designated American Corners and partner spaces in each location.
AWE LESA 2024
activities will take place between August 2024 and January 2025, and this
edition will bring the total number of women entrepreneurs trained through the
U.S. Mission to South Africa and AWIEF partnership to more than 700.
Academy for Women
Entrepreneurs applications are officially open for highly motivated and
self-driven young women entrepreneurs from Lesotho, Eswatini and South
Africa. THERE IS NO COST TO APPLICANTS AT ANY STAGE.
To submit your
application, please follow this link: https://apo-opa.co/3WvSAIa
The deadline for
submission is August 4, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. South Africa Standard Time (SAST).