Vincentian Designer Kimya Glasgow has been selected to be a part of the inaugural We-Xport programme, conducted by The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) in partnership with the Caribbean Development Bank.

The Women Empowered through Export (WE-Xport) programme, was kicked off with a two-day workshop in Barbados at the Radisson Aquatica on Wednesday 30th May, aimed at increasing participating firms’ and regional business support organisations’ (BSOs) access to finance.

According to Caribbean Export, “Access to finance has been identified as one of the largest hindrances to businesses in their efforts to expand. Through an increased understanding of the necessary requirements to access funds from traditional banking institutions and funding agencies, it is hoped that more women-owned businesses will be able to access the finance needed to expand their businesses, and take advantage of the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) European Union Economic Partnership Agreement (EU-EPA) to export their products and services to CARICOM and Europe.”

Caribbean Export launched the WE-Xport programme in March, 2018 and selected 20 companies, from a field of approximately 200 women-owned businesses across CARIFORUM, to participate in a range of activities and initiatives to build their capacity and support the growth and development of their businesses. Participants will be assigned to mentors in their respective fields, to walk them through the growth process, with support from local BSOs and Caribbean Export representatives.  

According to Ms Glasgow “I am very proud to be included in a group of such bright and tenacious, go-getter women. The application process was quite a tough one, so you had to be committed to get through it. So far it has definitely been worth it.”

Nisha Glasgow of Centre for Enterprise Development, the local BSO partner of Caribbean Export with the We-Xport programme, also participated in the workshop held in Barbados.