ver 8,000 people have registered for the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Women Innovative and Investment Network (WIIN) programme, since registration restarted in January 2023.
This year, interested persons will be trained in new areas such as food tourism, social media marketing, design, décor and events management, entrepreneurship, project management, and leadership advocacy.
They will also be trained in recurring courses such as child care, care for the elderly, graphics design, home management, television and video production, and garment construction.
The programme aims to support and empower women in society.
WIIN, therefore, provides a range of opportunities for women, such as access to employment in the public and private sectors, as well as encouraging economic independence, particularly for single mothers and those from low-income backgrounds.
It has introduced measures to help raise their incomes, such as providing free vocational training, grants, and access to business loans.
Further, the programme is particularly dedicated to ensuring women in rural regions have access to the same opportunities available in urban areas through a hybrid model that facilitates in-person and online training.
As such, female entrepreneurs are provided with mentorship, financial advice, and networking opportunities to help them succeed in their businesses.
In addition, WIIN offers training programmes to help women gain essential skills, such as computer literacy, basic business management, and English. This is crucial in facilitating the participation of women in the job market.
The number of courses offered continue to increase annually.
In 2021, 2,170 persons were trained. There were some 588 graduates from Region Four, 409 from Region Two, 320 from Region Three, 345 from Region Five, and 307 from Region Six.
Last year, the programme saw a 62 per cent increase in participants with over 10,000 registrants.
Region Four had the highest number of persons trained with 937 women, while Regions Three and Five each had over 500 persons trained.
In the hinterland, over 350 persons were trained. Region Nine saw an increase of 532 per cent, while Region Seven saw a 396 per cent increase, and Region Ten had an increase of 335 per cent.
Last year, 758 persons were trained in child care, while 563 were trained in graphic design and 523 in care for the elderly.
Persons desirous of signing up can do so online using the link http://www.facebook.com/humanservicesgy.
The only requirements for the programme are a valid telephone number and a form of identification (passport or identification card). For those doing classes online, a computer is required with a camera and stable internet connection.
Registration closes on February 28, 2023. For more information, persons can contact the ministry at 229-2751 or 229-2842.
