83 women receive Govt, IDB grants to help build, expand businesses

Eighty-three women across Guyana have each received a $300,000 grant through a partnership between the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, the Government of Canada and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) aimed at enabling them to build and expand their businesses.

According to the Ministry, many of the beneficiaries were women who had been assisted in escaping domestic violence or trafficking situations. The grant, officials noted, was designed specifically to help them rebuild their lives. All the women underwent training through the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) programme, which remains open for new applicants.
The distribution, held Wednesday at the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute (GWLI) on the East Coast of Demerara, amounted to roughly $25 million in direct support. Beneficiaries included WIIN graduates, survivors of gender-based violence, and women assisted by the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit – representing nine of the 10 administrative regions.
Delivering the feature address, Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr Vindhya Persaud said the initiative marks a significant step in transforming women’s economic futures, building on months of training under the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network.
“We have not just trained you through WIIN in a particular skill; we have engaged with you so that you can see how your skill can lead you to financial independence and stability,” she said. “You will understand what it means to not only put money into the business but to constantly reinvest it.”
She stressed accountability, reinvestment, and sustainability as key components of building lasting, successful ventures, noting the growing presence of women entering non-traditional sectors such as construction, logistics, technology, and oil and gas services.

Highlighting the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to female entrepreneurship, Dr Persaud said this latest support adds to Guyana’s rapidly expanding network of women-led businesses.
“Every year, we host the largest women’s expo in Guyana, and what we are doing here is adding you to the more than 300 women who lead and own businesses,” she added.
IDB Country Representative Lorena Salazar encouraged the women to harness the opportunity to drive personal and family upliftment.
“With business, you will help to improve the condition of your families – or more so, the entire ecosystem of your family – and this includes better health and education,” she said.
Representing the High Commissioner of Canada, Tariq Williams said Canada remains committed to supporting women’s economic empowerment in Guyana.
“We are extremely honoured to be part of this initiative to economically empower women through the provision of training,” he told the gathering. “But we also recognised that training wasn’t enough and that it was necessary to provide capital in the form of business grants.”
The partnership forms part of the Social Safety Nets and Gender Empowerment Programme, which aims to provide women with tools, resources and financial support to build sustainable livelihoods and strengthen gender equality across the country.