Vital Voices Celebrates Its’ 22nd Global Ambassadors Program
Vital Voices Global Partnership, in collaboration with Bank of America, successfully concluded the 22nd Global Ambassadors Program (GAP) this month. This was the first virtual GAP convening, which brought together 52 women social entrepreneurs and business, and nonprofit leaders from 29 countries.
Over the course of the week, the GAP Leaders participated in 10 training sessions that were specifically designed to help them accelerate the growth and impact of their handmade and handcraft businesses and organizations. The sessions covered a broad range of topics, including product design and development, accessing markets, optimizing e-commerce, and overcoming imposter syndrome.
Here are five key takeaways from our 2023 GAP Leaders:
1. Building a network.
“I am a huge advocate of women supporting women, and I truly enjoyed meeting and discovering so many interesting social enterprises. We all have similar goals but different ways to reach them, and that’s where I saw so many synergies. Since we belong to the handmade industry, our challenges are shared, but it’s fascinating to hear how each of us overcomes them in a different way.” — Kanak Hirani, Founder, Julahas
2. Prioritizing mental health and wellness.
“The focus on mental health awareness resonated deeply with me, recognizing the common tendency among entrepreneurs to neglect our well-being. These insights have prompted a positive shift in my approach, emphasizing the importance of holistic health in the entrepreneurial journey.” — Ola Shami Nasr, Owner, Qasaed Jewelry
3. Boosting self-confidence.
“I was encouraged to set achievable goals, celebrate my accomplishments through powerful words of affirmation, and recognize my successes. This left a feeling of confidence and diminishing imposter feelings. I understand that building resilience and practicing self-compassion is a way to healing, managing setbacks, embracing failure as a learning opportunity, and treating myself with kindness and understanding even when in doubt.” — Uchenna Ibe, CEO, Ivy League Collections
4. Cultivating motivation.
“The important part of branding is what you don’t see — the sleepless nights, the anxiety, multitasking, heartbreaks, and all the blood and sweat that goes into creating something meaningful. My biggest takeaway was the ‘why’ that I need to ask myself and go from inside out, to put the story before the product.” — Neesha Amrish Mehta, Founder/Creative Director, Aeshaane
5. Expanding business ventures.
“My dreams were always big, and I was always told I needed to be prudent. For the first time, I’m feeling that I need to dream bigger than ever, I know I can do it with the right mentoring and support.” — Bindu Vinodhan, Founder/Executive Director, Mauna Dhwani Foundation
We are incredibly proud of this group of inspiring changemakers and can’t wait to see what the future holds for them.
Invest in Women. Improve the World.
At Vital Voices, we believe that when women are empowered, societies thrive. Our honoree programs have been at the forefront of driving change and igniting progress for women in the economic, political, and social sectors for more than a generation. Through these initiatives, we provide transformative opportunities, mentorship, and training to empower women leaders, enabling them to unleash their full potential and create lasting impact in their communities.
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Written by the Communications Team at Vital Voices
