On Saturday, June 8, participants in the first Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program in Turkmenistan pitched their business ideas to a panel of business experts in Ashgabat. The event marked the conclusion of the AWE program, launched in March this year and implemented in Turkmenistan by the U.S. Embassy in partnership with the Union of Economists.
U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Vaida Vidugiris and Chairman of the Union of Economists of Turkmenistan Yuri Aronsky opened the event. “We are so pleased that this year, Turkmenistan joined more than 100 participating countries of AWE. I am especially proud that this program took place not only in Ashgabat, but also in Dashoguz, Mary, and Turkmenabat where we have our American Corners,” Chargé Vidugiris noted in her speech. “It underscores our belief in the untapped potential of women entrepreneurs who, with the right support and resources, can transform economies, uplift communities, and inspire future generations.”
Saturday’s ceremony was the culmination of three months of work, consisting of an online business course developed by Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management, weekly face-to-face sessions, and work on a business plan. AWE is a State Department program that provides women entrepreneurs with the knowledge, networks and access they need to start and grow successful businesses. The first 50 graduates of the program on Saturday joined a global community of more than 25,000 AWE alumnae.