106 Women Entrepreneurs Graduate from AWE

By Ema Ganivatu

More than 100 women have graduated in the fifth cohort of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) and are ready to level up their small businesses.

Since its launch in 2020, AWE has mentored nearly 600 Fijian women, equipping them with the tools to start and expand their businesses.

United States Ambassador to Fiji, Marie C. Damour, congratulated the newest graduates. “The US Embassy is proud to support Fijian women who are building businesses and driving economic growth,” said Ambassador Damour. “When Fiji prospers, the United States benefits too. Empowering women entrepreneurs is not just good for local communities it’s good for global commerce and prosperity.”

Through the US Embassy’s Visiting Speaker Program, Rahama Wright, founder and CEO of Shea Yeleen, emphasised the powerful impact of investing in women entrepreneurs during her keynote address. “Women tend to be very community-centred, more inclusive, and want to care for the whole,” she said. “That’s why it’s so important to invest in women leaders and women business owners because the impact extends beyond their individual goals to the broader community.”

Wright praised the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs as a transformative resource. “If I had access to a program like this that helped me define my goals, get access to capital, and connect with mentors, I would’ve scaled up much faster,” she said.

Some of the youngest participants in the program, 19-year-old Keren Koroi and 20-year-old Faith Finauga, shared how transformative the AWE experience had been for them.

“I was pretty overwhelmed,” said Keren. “I’m really honoured to have had the opportunity to be part of this program because it opened my eyes to see beyond just buying, selling, and making money. There was an emphasis on community impact, and that’s something I’m passionate about.”

Faith, a first-year university student studying a combined degree in Law and a Bachelor of Commerce, said AWE helped shape her academic direction. “This program is very necessary given the economic state and social issues in Fiji. It provides a platform for women to take a stand, be financially independent, and restore stability.

“Stop waiting, don’t stop, and keep going. There are so many hurdles, but just keep moving forward,” she added.

Another graduate, Teupola Delailoa Tuilovoni, has been running a traditional artifacts business for nearly a decade with a mission to preserve cultural heritage. “My main focus for my business is to protect and keep the traditional way of making these artifacts,” she shared. Expressing her gratitude to the AWE program, Tuilovoni emphasised the value of passion and perseverance in entrepreneurship. “Be your own boss”, she advised. “Do what you love to do that will bring income to your family.”

Wright concluded by encouraging graduates to develop both technical skills like understanding pricing and fundraising, as well as soft skills such as confidence, resilience, and risk-taking. “Don’t be afraid to try. Redefine failure. You may not succeed the first time, but maybe you will the third or fourth,” she advised. “Keep going until you learn something, pivot, or achieve your goal.”