EVE BURNS
A group of 14 women spent five weeks learning jewelry making, embroidery and general entrepreneurship skills and received their certificates last Friday at the College of the Marshall Islands.
The training was a partnership between CMI and the Youth Corps program and was funded and implemented by the Marshall Islands Youth Corps, under the Workforce, Adult Vocational and Educational Services.
The ceremony was held outside CMI with families and friends as witnesses to the accomplishments that the women have achieved.
“One of the five goals for the strategic plan for CMI is entrepreneurship,” said William Reiher who is CMI’s Executive Vice President. “Meaning of entrepreneurship is to start a business, run it and commit to it for it to move forward and this program is very suitable for this goal as it does not only teach us how to make jewelry from plastic bottles but it also teaches us how to advertise the work and handicrafts,” he said.
“We’ve built something really special here and I’m very grateful for that. I know God brought me to the RMI for a purpose and this is one of them,” said Tanmayee Pathak who led the training. Tanmayee expressed her gratitude to those involve in the training. “Over the course of these five weeks, seems short but in a way seems like we’ve known each other a long time and I see so much growth in all of the women,” she said. “It gives me so much joy to know it won’t end over here because they have wonderful ideas to take this further.”
A representative of the women participants expressed their gratitude to their instructor and all those involved in making the training possible and successful.
The certificates were handed to the participants with much excitement. The ceremony ended with many photos and selfies and graduates, family and friends enjoying good food.