Women-led businesses in Fiji are set to receive a significant boost as Westpac Fiji launches its Female Founders Program, designed to empower women entrepreneurs and increase their participation in business.
This follows the signing of the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Code (We-Finance Code) agreement in October last year — an initiative aimed at increasing financing and support for women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (WMSMEs).
Westpac Fiji Chief Executive, Shane Smith says they are the first to launch and take the bold step following the agreement.
He says the initiative is to drive economic growth, create jobs and promote gender equality by creating a pathway for women to lead, innovate and grow their business with confidence.
Smith adds that women can balance everything and this program is not just about access to finance but about living their dreams.
Meanwhile, Westpac Pacific Managing Director, Emma Low says this program will support female founders in Fiji to start, grow and scale their businesses by addressing key challenges such as access to finance, business skills development and networking opportunities.
She is encouraging women to take full advantage of the opportunities the program offers.
The program offers targeted support tailored to each stage of the business life cycle.
The application opens on October 1st and closes on August 1st.
@fijivillage.com Westpac launches Fiji Female Founders Program to support women-led businesses #fiji #fyp ♬ original sound - fijivillage
