The Women’s Entrepreneurship in the Americas (WEAmericas) initiative and exchange elevates the economic status of women throughout the Western Hemisphere. WEAmericas was founded in the 2012 Summit of the Americas and brings women entrepreneurs from Latin America and the Caribbean to the United States on an International Visitor Leadership Program. Participants work and learn with U.S. women entrepreneurs on business expansion and elevating the leadership status of women in the workplace. The women come to the United States as current community leaders but return home with a stronger business skills set and influential role models in the field of female leadership.
WEAmericas attend different events and talks that explore the importance of globally improving the status of women and marginalized communities in the larger economy. With their U.S. counterparts in cities across the United States, the participants study how to navigate common barriers that women must confront when starting and growing a business: access to capital, marketing, and skills. Throughout the program, the participants get to share ideas and knowledge while creating international relationships that only strengthen the economic and cultural bond of the Western Hemisphere.
The WEAmericas program has been able to promote economic and social advancement for women by offering these women opportunities to learn about funding opportunities with universities, the private sector, corporations, and businesses. At the end of the program, participants are able to better engage their home communities through their businesses and forge international business networks with U.S. women entrepreneurs.
WEAmericas Today
Recently, the WEAmericas initiative has seen the creation of the WEAmericas NGO and the Mujeres Apoyan Mujeres (Women Assisting Women) tool. This online platform help empower women in the workplace by providing mentoring services, networking opportunities, and market opportunities. The NGO also helps start-ups with capital assistance and funding through their WEAngels networks. These recent advancements in the WEAmericas program truly hones in on global economic prosperity by helping these grassroots businesses and furthering the socio-economic advancement of women.
Program participant Andrea Irarrazaval from Chile captures the mission of the WEAmericas campaign with her business Clean Energy (an environmental company that uses innovative technology to fight climate change). She believes that the company is doing more than just promoting green technology but is also promoting inclusivity in the workplace by providing employment opportunities for women and inspiring young girls to pursue their dreams. To Andrea, who is also the Vice President of the new WEAmericas NGO, the social benefits are the roots and heart of the WEAmericas program.
