Jarmila Jackson, Features Writer

Donna Sutherland (centre) is surrounded by her fellow graduates of the Students in Free Enterprise Jamaica Project, as they prepare for a group graduation photo at the University of Technology, St Andrew, on Monday. - Kyle Macpherson/Freelance Photographer

Thirty-eight businesswomen from the Micro, Small and Medium-size Enterprises (MSME) alliance were deemed more self-reliant on Monday after graduating from the 'Students in Free Enterprise Jamaica Project'.

The graduation ceremony for the project, a joint effort by students from the University of Miami (UM), the Scotiabank Foundation and the University of Technology (UTech), was held at the Technology Innovation Centre, UTech campus, in St Andrew.

Professor Rosalea Hamilton, who was influential in the decision to bring the project to Jamaica, said MSME is an alliance of 22 business associations "all recognising that in the global challenges businesses face, we need to work together and address the problems as a group".

Females targeted

The 'Students in Free Enterprise Jamaica Project' targeted female entrepreneurs from all over the island, many of whom operate businesses ranging from cosmetology to craft making from their own homes. For six weeks the women received free instruction from business students from the UM, focusing on areas including accounting, marketing, customer service and even website development.

Audett Lawes, who in addition to operating a grocery store also does a bit of interior design from her home, was grateful to have had the opportunity to improve her skills.

"What I was expecting I got, and that was training in record keeping, business planning and how to market my business," Lawes said. "I have benefited greatly from this experience."

The focus on women, Hamilton said, came from them being "the movers and shakers of the family" and thereby having the ability to empower men, children and, by extension, the nation. She said there was an intention to implement a project for men and that, as long as funding allowed, the project would be offered in January of next year.