Academy for Women Entrepreneurs - South Africa

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy South Africa of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit concept notes to carry out a training program in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State and Arizona State University. Funding will be made available from the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria. The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) is centered around the online training program on women’s entrepreneurship, DreamBuilder, developed through a partnership between Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management and global copper mining company Freeport-McMoRan. AWE participants will engage in facilitated lessons on business management and network with like-minded entrepreneurs and mentors from their regions and the United States. Led by an in-person course facilitator, participants will learn how to create business plans, hire staff, and research the market for their product or service. Participants will gather in person to view each DreamBuilder session (ten in total) and/or to discuss the topic after each participant views the session online. Facilitators selected in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate will lead the in-person discussions and serve as mentors for the participants. The implementing partner will also be expected to organize a pre-launch training program for facilitators throughout South Africa, to occur in Johannesburg. Additional information is available at the following link: https://eca.state.gov/awe Concept notes are requested from organizations that have the necessary capacity and knowledge to establish and manage the training program and to design a follow-on engagement strategy for participants. This announcement does NOT seek applications for participation in the program.