Consequent to the successful rollout and implementation of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Program in Bohol, Zamboanga del Sur, and Quezon City, the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, American Spaces Philippines, and SPARK! Philippines have extended their partnership to continue to provide development and learning opportunities to women entrepreneurs.
Since the implementation of AWE commenced through SPARK! in 2020, 180 Filipino women from diverse backgrounds have been trained and mentored through the program. Through a hybrid learning experience offered by AWE in collaboration with Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management, it has successfully equipped women entrepreneurs and aspiring women entrepreneurs with knowledge on essential business skills through interactive sessions with experienced practitioners, local experts, and alumni of the U.S. Department of State exchange programs.
Given that AWE is also a learning program that explicitly aims to train diverse women as its target participants, thereby including survivors of violence, illegal trafficking, and among others, the program successfully reached out to women in especially difficult situations (WEDS) in Bohol and Zamboanga del Sur as AWE participants in 2022. WEDS encompass victims and survivors of sexual and physical violence, illegal recruitment, sexual exploitation and trafficking, armed conflict, former and current women in detention, and other related circumstances which have incapacitated them functionally. AWE has also been able to encourage women from rural communities and indigenous groups to participate, as they often lack adequate support from government and non-government entities. With the assistance and support of select local government units, particularly their social work and development offices, 60 WEDS from the 1st cohort in Bohol and 32 from the 2nd cohort in Zamboanga were provided with the training from October 2022 and December 2022 up to the second quarter of 2023 which produced AWE graduates from different municipalities including Balilihan, Tagbilaran, Dumalinao, Guipos, Kumalarang, Lapuyan, and Tabina.
Some of the AWE graduates were also provided with an opportunity by the U.S. Embassy and the American Spaces Philippines to participate in the AWE Regional Summit. Three of AWE Bohol Cohort graduates were selected to join the summit which was held from March 6 to 9, 2023 in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. The summit was attended by the following Bohol Cohort graduates: Julieta Monteron and Bonifacia Sierras both from the Municipality of Balilihan and Maria Flor Iting from the City of Tagbiliran.
The recently held AWE Philippine Summit Trade Fair in November 2023 at the Gateway Mall in Araneta City, which was led by SPARK! with the support from the US Embassy, American Spaces Philippines, J. Amado Araneta Foundation – JAAF, and Quezon City government, further proves the program’s remarkable impact as it not only showcased the participation of AWE graduates from diverse locations during its launch, it also became a platform for the graduates to exhibit their unique products and innovations. The trade fair, as well as the strong collaboration with concerned partners, serves as strong evidence of the influence of AWE in
recognizing and empowering women as key players in the country’s economic growth.
With plans to expand to additional cities, SPARK! remains committed to fostering localized prosperity and economic growth through the implementation of AWE, which consistently aligns with the vision of its partners, particularly the U.S. National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality, emphasizing women’s economic opportunities and participation in the economy.
SPARK! Philippines will soon announce the opening of applications for the upcoming batch this year, respectively. Stay tuned for further updates or contact info@sparkphilippines.org.
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