FIFTY women in Charity, Region Two, will benefit from a Women’s Empowerment Seminar series which commences on Wednesday (today).

The seminar, is part of the Women’s Empowerment and Development Strengthening Project, an initiative organised by Pomeroon Trading and will be held at the NAREI Nursery Conference Room, in Charity. The workshop will promote the socio-economic development of women by building an environment for social change in targeted rural areas and will include presentations on general equality, entrepreneurship and accessing finance.
John Quelch, Pomeroon Trading’s Community Development Manager, explained that sustained empowerment of women in rural areas combined with community leadership will ultimately lead to meaningful reductions in gender inequality, fairer access to jobs and financial independence.

Ms. Hymawattie Lagan, Senior Gender Specialist, will present on behalf of the Ministry of Social Protection. In addition, there will be a presentation on cervical cancer awareness with optional (and free) screening services, held in conjunction with the Cancer Association of Guyana,
Rural women and children are some of the most disadvantaged segments of the Guyanese society. There are very few opportunities for women to receive formal training on entrepreneurship or leadership, yet the promise of women in rural communities is immense. The programme will establish self-help-groups for women in the Pomeroon, and link them to development agencies or lending institutions so they can accelerate their businesses.

The project is being coordinated and funded by Pomeroon Trading, a Guyanese company that is funded by investors from across North America and Europe. The company is the Caribbean’s socially responsible grower and processor of coconuts and spices, and operates from their base in the Pomeroon region of Guyana. Duncan Turnbull, Chief Executive Officer of Pomeroon Trading says: “This seminar series is the first step to building the next generation of strong, independent women in the Pomeroon.”

In February 2018, Pomeroon Trading built and opened a new dining room at Hackney Primary School in the Pomeroon. Over 100 guests from across the world attended the ceremony, which included representatives of the government, the Director of NAREI and CARDI, and 20 international visitors from England, America and New Zealand.

CEO of Pomeroon Trading Duncan Turnbull says: “We chose the Pomeroon because of its fertile land, stunning natural beauty and unique communities. We believe a productive coconut estate will tackle rural unemployment, bring practical skills training, and stimulate the local economy”