The Australian High Commission in Port Moresby celebrated International Women’s Day by hosting a Morning Tea Event for fourteen semi-finalists of the WECREATE Challenge accelerator program for female entrepreneurs.
The WECREATE Challenge is a business model competition that encourages women owned or co-founded businesses aspire to be better entrepreneurs and role models for other women in Papua New Guinea.
Since its launch in October, the WECREATE Challenge has provided advice and mentoring to 114 Papua New Guinean women to get their business ideas off the ground.
A meeting was facilitated by the Australian Deputy High Commissioner Ms Bronte Moules, where the 14 semi-finalists discussed their business journeys. One of the women, Luania Temu from U’i- Tiki Fashion said, “Through the WECREATE challenge, I’ve come out of my comfort zone, having to work to stringent conditions. A valuable lesson I’ve learnt is to be accountable in running my business, not looking just at the next five years but next week - the now.”
Ms Moules congratulated the women for coming this far in the challenge and pushing beyond their individual comfort zones.
The WECREATE Challenge is supported by the Australian Government in partnership with the United States Government through the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development program. Other partners include Centre for International Private Enterprises and GriffinWorx.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100
Australian Deputy High Commissioner Ms Bronte Moules with the 14 WECREATE finalists.