On March 29, 2024, the official Closing Ceremony of the “Academy for Women Entrepreneurs” (AWE) program took place.

The AWE program was created with the aim of providing women entrepreneurs with the knowledge, networking opportunities, and access necessary to develop successful and sustainable local businesses, thereby contributing to the economic development of a demographic group often overlooked in regions of the country. The program seeks to promote social and economic equality for women by teaching them the skills needed to launch and scale their businesses. AWE also fosters mutual learning, exchange of experiences, and networking among female entrepreneur graduates, thereby contributing to the growth of local businesses.

The project involved 10 mentors – senior-level managers from among the members of AmCham, and 19 women business owners or women with ideas for launching their own businesses in the cities of Bishkek, Osh, Batken, and Jalal-Abad.

In addition to mentorship, the six-month program was filled with a variety of useful and interesting events: trainings, lectures, corporate tours, panel discussions, and much more.

Deputy Chief of Mission Liz Zentos, along with Chairwoman of the Board of Directors Nazira Beishenalieva, presented certificates to participants for their successful participation in the project.

Executive Director of the Chamber, Aisuluu Sydygalieva, thanked the mentors and participants for their involvement and expressed hope that the project would expand, allowing even more professionals to benefit from wise mentorship.

The American Chamber of Commerce expresses gratitude to the mentors, mentees, and project partners for their invaluable contribution, as well as to the U.S. Embassy for their support in implementing the AWE project.