The American Chamber of Commerce of Cambodia (AmCham) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Cambodian Women’s Entrepreneurial Association (CWEA) on Thursday in an effort to lend further support to female entrepreneurs in the Kingdom.
Charles Esterhoy, president of AmCham, said that the new agreement between the two organisations aims to address the needs of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in order to develop these businesses’ capacities “regardless of which gender is the owner or operator”.
William Heidt, United States ambassador to Cambodia, said the new agreement would hopefully work toward reducing the many obstacles female entrepreneurs face upon entering the business world, including but not limited to a lack of role models, difficulties raising capital and challenges building widespread networks.
Ing Kantha Phavi, minister for women’s affairs, said that the MoU would help “provide a support system for mentorship and personal growth for women entrepreneurs” in Cambodia.
“This partnership will bring committed players together through a shared vision of empowerment, where men and women have equal access to the market,” she said.
CWEA is a private association dedicated to providing a representative platform for women in business. Its goal is to bring issues to the attention of the government and the media foster growth of business activities involving women, as well as to open up networking opportunities for businesswomen.
