When Abbigale Loncke-Watson launched the WeLead Association in 2017, she was determined to create the kind of support system she wished existed when she was starting her own entrepreneurial journey.
Nearly a decade later, that vision has evolved into one of Guyana’s leading platforms for women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship, and leadership development. Guyana recently celebrated 60 years of independence and continues to experience unprecedented economic growth. Loncke-Watson is preparing to welcome hundreds of women to WeLead 2026, a conference designed to ensure they are not spectators in the country’s transformation, but active participants shaping its future.
“WeLead is not a talk shop,” Loncke-Watson said. “It is a room where women can gain practical tools, mentorship, connections, and real roadmaps to success.”
This year’s conference will feature keynote speaker Melanie Fiona, the two-time Grammy Award-winning singer and entrepreneur whose story of resilience and reinvention aligns closely with the conference’s mission.
“Being part of this moment in Guyana with the WeLead Association feels deeply personal and profoundly purposeful for me,” Fiona said. “There’s something powerful about returning to the country where my mother was born and witnessing today’s women not just participating in growth, but leading it, shaping it, and redefining influence on their own terms.”
“Globally, I think we’re in a moment where women are reclaiming authorship over their narratives. We’re no longer waiting for permission…I am so honored to be a championing voice for the women of Guyana,” Fiona continued.
Loncke-Watson added that Melanie Fiona represents resilience, growth, and the ability to rebuild after setbacks.
Additional speakers include Yvette Noel-Schure, Vindhya Persaud, Kathy Smith, Melissa Noel, Deborah Edward, and Keisha Edwards.
The conference, scheduled for June 27 in Georgetown, comes at a pivotal moment for Guyana. Under the theme “Guyana to the World: Women Building Global Bridges,” the event will bring together business leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers and changemakers from across the Caribbean and diaspora.
For Loncke-Watson, the mission is clear: equip women to seize opportunities emerging across industries as Guyana’s economy continues to expand.
“I don’t want any woman in Guyana to feel like she has missed the boat,” she said. “There are opportunities coming from every direction, and women need access to the knowledge, networks and support systems that help them move forward.”
The idea for WeLead was born after Loncke-Watson participated in the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative, where she experienced firsthand the value of mentorship and professional development.
“When I came back to Guyana, I realized many women didn’t have access to those same opportunities,” she said. “I wanted to create a space where women could learn, connect and grow together.”
Since then, WeLead has expanded its impact through conferences, mentorship initiatives, and entrepreneurship training, including programs supported through the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs. The organization has focused heavily on reaching women in rural and hinterland communities, where access to resources and business development opportunities can be limited.
As WeLead prepares for its return to an in-person conference format, Loncke-Watson hopes attendees leave with more than inspiration.
“We want women to understand that there is a place for them in Guyana’s future,” she said. “This conference is about helping them see it, prepare for it and step confidently into it.”
The founder and president is a multi-sector entrepreneur who was honored by former President Barack Obama for the impact of her home care agency and has helped expand opportunities for women through partnerships with the U.S. Department of State to train entrepreneurs across Guyana.
