New Jamaica-Colombia partnership to support women leaders

Grace to Grow Mentorship & Training Limited (GtG), a social enterprise dedicated to empowering women through leadership and mentorship, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Embassy of the Republic of Colombia to Jamaica, marking the start of a strategic partnership to advance women’s leadership, gender equality, and cross-cultural collaboration between the two countries.
The MoU was signed last Thursday by Emiliana Lucía Bernard Stephenson, ambassador of the Republic of Colombia to Jamaica, and Heneka Watkis-Porter, global leadership strategist and founder and chief executive officer of Grace to Grow.
The partnership builds on the diplomatic relationship established between Colombia and Jamaica in 1965 and supports Colombia’s Feminist Foreign Policy, which places gender equality, women’s rights, and empowerment at the centre of its international cooperation agenda.
Under the agreement, the embassy and Grace to Grow will collaborate on leadership programmes, conferences, workshops, mentorship initiatives, training sessions and cultural exchanges aimed at strengthening the capacity of women leaders in both countries. The partnership will also facilitate the exchange of expertise, best practices, and knowledge, while encouraging collaboration among government agencies, private sector organisations, and civil society groups.
Among the flagship initiatives planned are a Leadercast leadership conference and a five-day Leadership and Culture Immersion Programme in Bogotá later this year. The programme will bring together Jamaican and Colombian women leaders to exchange perspectives on leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, culture, and social impact while building lasting professional and cultural connections.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Bernard Stephenson said the agreement would strengthen bilateral ties through women’s empowerment and create new opportunities for leadership development and collaboration between the two countries.
She added that both nations would benefit from sharing experiences, expertise, and best practices while fostering partnerships across government, academia, business, and civil society to support women’s advancement and sustainable development.
Watkis-Porter welcomed the partnership, describing it as an important step in expanding opportunities for women locally and internationally.
She said the agreement reflects a shared commitment to developing women leaders and would create opportunities for learning, mentorship and cultural exchange, both in Jamaica and Colombia.
The collaboration aligns closely with Grace to Grow’s mission of equipping women with the confidence, skills, and support needed to become transformational leaders in their communities and professions.
Founded by Watkis-Porter following her personal journey of survival and healing, Grace to Grow was born out of resilience and purpose. On January 9, 2020, she survived an accidental overdose, an experience that inspired her vision for a mentorship programme supporting women who are often overlooked by society. Despite ongoing health challenges, she launched the organisation’s first mentorship cohort in May 2022.
Today, Grace to Grow has supported more than 100 women through several mentorship cohorts and is backed by a growing international network of volunteer mentors committed to nurturing personal growth, leadership development, and social impact.
While the MoU establishes a broad framework for cooperation, both parties noted that individual projects and activities will be implemented through separate agreements, paving the way for sustained collaboration that strengthens leadership, promotes gender equality, and creates lasting opportunities for women in Jamaica and Colombia.
keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com