Participants of Turkmenistan’s inaugural Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program presented their business proposals to a panel of experts in Ashgabat on June 8. The event marked the culmination of the AWE program, which was launched in March of this year by the U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan in collaboration with the Union of Turkmenistan Economists.
The “graduation” ceremony was the culmination of a three-month effort that included online business courses developed by Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of International Management, weekly face-to-face sessions and the development of business plans, according to a U.S. Embassy report.
AWE is a U.S. Department of State program that provides women entrepreneurs with the knowledge, networks, and access they need to start and grow successful businesses. The program’s first 50 Turkmen graduates now join a global community of more than 25,000 AWE alumni.
Opening the event, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Vaida Vidgiris said, “We are thrilled that Turkmenistan has joined AWE’s more than 100 participating countries this year. We are especially proud that the program took place not only in Ashgabat, but also in Dashoguz, Mali, and Turkmenabat, where we have an American Corner. This underscores our belief in the potential of women entrepreneurs who, with the right support and resources, can transform economies, uplift communities, and inspire future generations.”
