The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export), in partnership with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and BELTRAIDE, officially launched the Caribbean Women Entrepreneurs Generating Resilient and Inclusive Trade (GRIT) initiative in Belize on November 12, 2025 — marking another milestone in the regional movement to empower women entrepreneurs and transform Caribbean trade.
Held at the Grand Residences & Resort in Belize City, the launch brought together representatives from government, business, and civil society to celebrate a shared vision — one where women-led enterprises are not only creating products but also shaping purpose-driven growth across the Caribbean.
Empowering Women, Transforming Trade
The GRIT project is a four-year, CAD $3.16 million initiative funded by the Government of Canada and implemented by Caribbean Export. It aims to strengthen the export capacity of women-led businesses across six Caribbean countries — Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines — by improving access to trade intelligence, resources, and international market opportunities.
Through GRIT, women entrepreneurs will benefit from technical assistance, training, digital transformation support, matching grants, and export readiness guidance, enabling them to compete more effectively in regional and global markets, including Canada.
Wayne Elliott, Manager of Technical Programmes at Caribbean Export, highlighted the transformational reach of the initiative, noting:
“GRIT is about meeting women where they are. It will directly support 800 entrepreneurs and indirectly impact more than 10,000 women across the Caribbean. We’ve already completed activations in Saint Lucia and Dominica, and with Belize now underway, we are preparing to expand to the remaining countries early next year. It’s crucial that we engage women within their own communities, so the support offered truly reflects their needs and ambitions.”
Mr. Ishmael Quiroz, Executive Director of BELTRAIDE, highlighted the agency’s long-standing commitment to advancing women in trade, stating:
“You are not waiting for opportunity. You are creating it. We are here to ensure the system meets your ambition. BELTRAIDE stands with you. EXPORTBelize stands with you. And through GRIT, the region stands with you.”
Partnership for Inclusive Growth
Representatives from key government ministries reaffirmed Belize’s commitment to inclusive, gender-responsive economic transformation — a cornerstone of the nation’s development strategy.
Narda Garcia, Chief Executive Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister and Ministries of Investment and Civil Aviation, emphasized that women’s economic empowerment is central to Belize’s development agenda and not a peripheral concern. She stated:
“Gender equality is not a social welfare project; it is a macroeconomic imperative. The full and equal participation of women in our economy is the single most significant untapped resource we have for driving sustainable growth, building resilience, and creating a more prosperous future for all.”
Carlos Pol, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Economic Transformation, underscored the economic urgency of strengthening women’s participation in trade and entrepreneurship. He emphasized that empowering women is not only a social imperative but a national economic necessity, stating:
“According to the IMF, increasing women’s labour force participation could possibly raise GDP levels by 23 percent. That is no small contribution. We must understand that depriving women of the services they need to grow their businesses and themselves means that we are also depriving the country of significant economic growth.”
Adele Catzim-Sanchez, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Human Development, Family Support and Gender Affairs, emphasized the national importance of GRIT’s mission and the transformative power of women’s participation in trade. She noted:
“This Project recognizes that when women thrive, families thrive, communities prosper, and nations advance.”
She further highlighted how GRIT aligns seamlessly with Belize’s long-term development frameworks, adding:
“Women’s economic empowerment is not a side agenda. It is central to national development, to achieving the goals of Plan Belize, and to realizing the vision of our National Gender Policy.”
Their remarks underscored the role of women as economic drivers and innovators in Belize’s future — and the importance of collaborative partnerships like GRIT in bridging gaps and creating sustainable pathways for women in trade.
From Vision to Venture
The event featured a fireside chat with two of Belize’s most dynamic women entrepreneurs — Wilana Oldman, CEO of Hot Mama’s Belize, and Nefretery Marin, CEO of Ostrich Organic Farm and Barzakh Falah Farms & Craft — who shared their experiences of navigating export markets, scaling businesses, and leading with creativity and resilience.
Their stories embodied the spirit of GRIT — courage, persistence, and purpose — inspiring attendees to see entrepreneurship not only as business but as a form of nation-building.
Canada’s Commitment to Inclusive Trade
Through GRIT, Global Affairs Canada and Caribbean Export continue to advance gender-responsive trade practices that ensure women entrepreneurs across CARIFORUM states can fully participate in and benefit from trade opportunities. The initiative is part of Canada’s broader commitment to inclusive economic growth, climate resilience, and women’s empowerment across the Caribbean.
