-scores of women entrepreneurs benefit from starter kits, other empowering initiatives

THE Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s flagship ‘We Lift’ event for 2026 officially ended on Sunday night with a series of presentations, and announcements that will directly benefit several of the women-owned businesses that participated in the expo.

The highly anticipated event opened last Friday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, and continued until Sunday under the theme, ‘Let Her Bloom’. Over 400 women-owned businesses participated, allowing Guyanese women to showcase their locally made products and services to the world.

In addition to distributing starter kits to a number of participants who had topped their respective courses under the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) training programme, Minister of Human Services and Social Security Vindhya Persaud launched a new partnership with FloPay, a digital payment platform aimed at helping women entrepreneurs seamlessly conduct business and receive payments electronically.
The starter kits will support the women as they progress in their entrepreneurial journeys.

Moreover, a selected number of women entrepreneurs signed agreements with large-scale companies that have chosen them as suppliers, creating new market opportunities for their products.

One of these companies is Zoon Logistics, which has partnered with the ministry to offer an entrepreneurship programme designed to support and empower women-led businesses across Guyana.

This initiative, according to a Zoon representative, focuses on reducing operational costs, improving efficiency and increasing the overall profitability for hardworking women who are building and expanding their enterprises.

Through this programme, participants will benefit from preferential shipping rates, reduced service costs and direct support for catered businesses. Zoon intends to remove as many barriers as possible so that the women entrepreneurs can scale up their operations, access international markets, and increase their earning potential.

Minister Persaud also used the occasion to re-launch the upgraded WIIN App, which was developed in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The platform is designed to function as an Online marketplace that is similar to Amazon. This upgraded app allows women to showcase and sell their products digitally.
Speaking at the event on Sunday, Minister Persaud said for her, it has always been about dismantling barriers, especially for women who have the potential, women who raise families, who have careers, and women who do both simultaneously.

“And today, as I celebrate and commemorate International Women’s Day, I wish every one of them all that they wish for themselves and so much more. Together, we’ll do it, and we’ll continue to make things happen over and over, and more than we thought we could have done every year,” the minister expressed.

Shedding light on the re-launch of the app, she said the aim was to ensure that there are paperless opportunities for women to ensure their products reach markets safely, and to track their businesses.

Minister Persaud remarked, “And they can definitely have the opportunity to step into a digital world of commerce and industry. And then, the marketplace. I’m telling you, when the WINN App was started, this was the real reason behind it. But they say everything comes in the right time. So, it took us to, We Lift6, 75 women, and we lift one, and 400 plus now, to really achieve what we are trying to do. And I would really like to thank the team, because with a digital marketplace, the power is in your hands.”

According to the minister, they have every intention of increasing support to women, ensuring that when they grow, their hearts grow fuller.

For more details regarding the app, persons can follow the ministry on Facebook.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Chronicle engaged three entrepreneurs at the expo on Sunday, each producing unique products. They shared their experience at ‘We Lift6.’

Jamila Huntley, the owner of Exotick Hands Studio said: “It has been a very good experience. I mean, I got to meet new customers and also got to meet a lot of government Ministers that are interested in my products, and that feels very awesome.”

For over two years, Jamila has been producing handmade products, including soaps made with sea salt, turmeric, meringue and charcoal. Additionally, she has lotion bars, which, according to her, was a hit at the expo. Persons can contact Exotick Hands on WhatsApp 628-1357, or check them out on Facebook for more information.

This publication also visited Veronica’s Unique Creations, a plant business, owned by Natasha Raffarty, “When I was growing up, I never really had interest in plants, but my mother, she loved plants. Especially the cactus. She was a lover of cactus, so when she passed, I started with that,” she said.

Her business is named after her mother. Raffarty said it is very good that women can be a part of an event such as this.

According to the entrepreneur, although many women there do not work in an office setting, they still have talents, and ‘We Lift’ has allowed them to showcase them.

Guyana Chronicle also visited Charmed by Chelseah, a craft business owned by 11-year-old Chelsea Williams. “I do bracelets, jewellery, crafts, and also flowers which I made out of pipe cleaners.” Chelsea started crafting items at the age of five, beginning with ponytail bands.

The creative 11-year-old said persons can follow her on TikTok as well as Instagram: chelseascharm.