About Us

The Grameen Foundation creates the space for women and girls to show up with their full power

The Building Economic incLUsion via the BlUe Economy (BELUU) program, led by Grameen Foundation, will advance inclusive commercial engagement and women’s economic empowerment (WEE) in the Pacific Islands. The BELUU program (also a Palauan word meaning “village, country or land”) focuses on the power of the blue and green economies to deepen the market participation of women entrepreneurs in the island nations of Palau, Nauru, Tuvalu, and the Marshall Islands.

Overall, BELUU aims to enhance women’s capacity to shape and thrive in a more connected business environment, demonstrating the benefits of inclusive development, women’s empowerment, and democratic values that foster participation from all key stakeholders. Over the course of 36 months, starting October 2021, BELUU will build an environment for WEE by enhancing the capacities of various country-level stakeholders that will result in improved networks, knowledge exchange, and increased capacity to further women’s economic participation in their country contexts. Furthermore, it will support women to succeed in their local economy by facilitating their access to relevant skills, mentorship, planning, and access to financial services, market and networks.

This initiative is co-funded and supported by the U.S. Department of State and Taiwan under the auspices of the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO).