 The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs, a United States government initiative has empowered 20 female returning migrants with skills, with a view to reintegrating them into society. Over the past few weeks, the participants received university-level business management training with mentoring from established women entrepreneurs. Plus, TV news correspondent Emmanuel Ulubo Bokun was there in our reports. To support the comprehensive rehabilitation and reintegration of migrants, 20 female returnees were selected to participate in the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs AWE program. Inspired by the American series Shark Tank, the returned migrant-peached business models to a panel of investors persuading them to invest in the ideas. In our remarks, the U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Officer of the United States Consulate, Julia McKay, highlighted the importance of promoting an enabling environment that reduces barriers and facilitates women's full participation in the economy. This is the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs, and it's a program that we do all around the world to help women start businesses and grow businesses because we know that women, when they're empowered economically, they give back to their families, the families grow, the communities, as well as the country economically. And so we help both this special cohort of women as well as other women entrepreneurs from all over Nigeria. 120 women are participating. Today, it's 20 women's special cohort. And so, yes, it's something we've done since 2019 here in Nigeria, and over 770 women have participated. It worked so hard, and we're so successful at building and starting their businesses that we saw the opportunity to give them additional training mentorship through this program. The panelist noted that assisting with just money is not the best way for returnees to be integrated into the society. They believe that empowering these women with requisite skills to improve their businesses can go a long way in encouraging them. Important to, you know, sort of help them, not just help them financially because a lot of the help that is available to them is just giving them some money. But they need business training. They need business training. They need therapy as well. And they also need the network so that they can scale properly and have something sustainable. It's been a touching experience, meaning that we have a lot of young women that still go through this ordeal. However, we're grateful to organizations like the AWE. It's amazing to see that these women can return and they return to hope because they come back and they're being put through a process that makes them become something. And I think that's the most important thing because a lot of them lose their identity, you know, but they bring them back and we're able to move them. Some of selected returnees expressed gratitude to the organizers, noted that the program has shed light in their path. And I came last year, they opened me up to so many ideas and I'm happy today. I came with a very wonderful product. At least now I'm bringing solutions to other people's lives. So I'm so happy and I thank eagerly for this opportunity. I'm so grateful. Fortunity to join the Academy for Women in Tapimios came. It was really exciting because I've always wanted to be in business but didn't know how. I had had several failed businesses, so I really wanted the information that could help me stay in business and also succeed. It's a favor and an opportunity to be among those that are pitching here today. And I am grateful for this opportunity. And I just want to say it's a privilege and I really appreciate this. Statistics have shown that women's participation in the economy drives better global businesses, resilience values, economic growth and sustainable development. Emmanuel Ulububukin, plus TV News. Hello, hope you enjoyed the news. Please do subscribe to our YouTube channel and don't forget to hit the notification button so you get notified about fresh news updates.