Editor, RE: “Minister roots for more funding to boost women businesses” (The New Times, May 19). In the article, Gender and Family Promotion minister Dr Diane Gashumba stressed the need for more funding to support women entrepreneurs. The challenges highlighted were limited access to finance, coupled with lack of business management skills. Please allow me to share with the readers, particularly budding women entrepreneurs, that we already have a mechanism in place here in Mumbai at our Chamber to facilitate any woman entrepreneur who might be interested in acquiring necessary skills. In fact, at present, we already have two women management graduates undergoing an intensive training in international marketing, medical tourism and hospital management right here in Mumbai. We would invite Françoise Uwumukiza, President of the National Women Council or even for that matter, the Ministry for Gender and Family Promotion to get in touch with the undersigned to take this initiative further. In today’s day and age, funding for a suitable and a noble project like women empowerment is a distinct possibility. Here too, Chambers of Commerce and giant Indian multinationals can well be partnered with to achieve the desired objective and get best results. Clarence Fernandes
