CWA starts third edition of WEP while also running EVS program

Tomorrow kick-starts the third edition of the CNMI Women’s Association’s Women Entrepreneur’s Project and the session will be from 2:30pm to 6pm at the CNMI’s Women’s Affairs Office on Capital Hill.

While the WEP’s first cohort was an introduction to the fundamentals of entrepreneurialism and needed resources and the second cohort was mainly about helping women entrepreneurs avail of federal grants, the third edition of the WEP program will help participants locate and troubleshoot certain problems they may face in their businesses, said CWA project director Valentina Rivera.

The cohort, titled Entrepreneurial Sprint, will also help participants find ways that work for them when launching new products, social media, advertising etc.

Rivera said the third cohort will last three weeks at five days per week. The first week of sessions is from Feb. 11 until Feb. 15, the second week will be from Feb. 18 through Feb. 22, and the last cohort week will be from Feb. 25 to March 1. Each session lasts three hours daily.

All participants will be divided into a three-member group where each member in a group will take a turn each week to discuss their business situation and formulate a solution, sharing their ideas and advice as a team.

Although there will be some guest speakers in some of the sessions, Rivera explained that this cohort will be a time where women can share their thoughts, ideas, and strengths with others in their group that are facing certain business problems, as well as glean the strengths of others in their team when addressing their own problems. Besides problem solving, this will be another way of demonstrating the women empowerment concept, Rivera said.

Another CWA event running concurrently with the WEP cohort is the Entrepreneur Vendor Spot, which is a way to not only support the organization and its mission, but also provide women entrepreneurs a space where they may promote their products. The Entrepreneur Vendor Spot, which is held weekly around lunchtime, happens on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Those interested in purchasing a spot at the EVS may visit CWA’s store featured on ourgoodys.com. Non-members pay a fee of $15 each day they use a spot, and those who have a CWA free membership will only pay $10. CWA’s paid members are charged as low as $5. As soon as a spot is purchased it can be reserved. Rivera shared that the EVS is targeted to those around Papago, Tanapag, Kagman, and those who work on Capital Hill. CWA aims to make this event similar to the weekly Saturday market in Susupe.

For inquires visit www.cnmiwomen.org, or call 670-233-8978 or 670-233-9411. You may also email them at cnmiwomen@gmail.com. CWA also has social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube, just search @cnmiwomen.