Santo Domingo.- Today women stand out in many areas demonstrating that their capacity goes beyond what was culturally imposed on them. All this without neglecting her predominant role in the home as trainers of human beings and eternal caretakers of their core.
Some own various businesses that range from stores, textile factories, beauty salons, to vehicle parts; while another own large shares in renowned companies and others hold high positions in public institutions.
women like Circe Almanzar, which held the Vice Presidency of the Dominican Republic Industry Association for more than 17 years. During her management, she was the main promoter of the Law on Competitiveness and Industrial Innovation approved in December 2007.
Along with this, it is also added that she has highlighted the importance of SMEs for the Dominican economy, which already in 2013 contributed 27% of GDP.
It is also necessary to highlight that he participated in all the State reforms called by the former president Leonel Fernandezwhen he formed the Coalition for the Reform and Modernization of the State.
By December 2021, Circe was already announcing exponential growth in the industrial sector, reaching a contribution of 32% of GDP.
Among the main achievements that should be highlighted is that from his privileged position he did not waste a single day, since he also participated in the creation of the Pro-Industry Law, the Industrial Development Plan, the Clusters and the Productive Chains.
Today Circe Almánzar maintains a strategic partnership with the Umbra law firm where she has her office and, from there, she plays the role of consultant or mediator in conflicts in public or private companies.
“I finished my period in the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic because I felt that I had reached my ceiling and I wanted to give new generations the opportunity,” he declared.
Almánzar said that to develop a position that is commonly held by men, he has had to break barriers and prejudices, learn the lesson and know how to turn pages to the left.
She stressed that she had to study more to show that she is not just a figure, of little specialization, which is what they believe about women, and for that she had to work twice as hard.
She assured that all women have three great challenges to overcome so that they can achieve their goals, the first is to break the barriers and prejudices that society and themselves impose.
The second is to avoid cultural shocks in their children, the one that teaches them that women should be dedicated to the home.
She declared that she was proud to come from a successful generation, to be part of her family’s success. She made it very clear that she has not yet withdrawn from it because she is very young and she wants to continue doing what she likes from another perspective.
Mercedes Canalda de Beras-Goico
She is another woman who has shown through her business career the ranks that women can reach.
Mercedes Canalda de Beras-Goico has been the first Dominican to preside over the Central American and Caribbean Microfinance Network (Redcamif).
This entity is that promotes the Microfinance industry and its impact on the economic and social development of the Central American region, as well as influences and promotes the political, normative and regulatory conditions that benefit and strengthen the microfinance sector in the Central American region.
While he directed this entity, his contributions to the country were important. “Today we present the best indicators in financial and social terms and the largest size in terms of participation and number of clients served.”
Another achievement has been to socialize the best practices in favor of clients from the service, impact measurement, financial education and digitization.
From Adopem, she has managed to continue with the dream of her mother, Mrs. Mercedes de Canalda, of supporting women in entrepreneurship and developing their skills to improve their quality of life and positively impact their families, she declared.
“My commitment is to generate new and better opportunities for the most vulnerable Dominican women with fewer possibilities, through the offer of a wide range of financial and non-financial products and services for their successful micro-business development.”
He assured that his great challenge has always been to maintain a balance between his family and professional life. From a business perspective, he began the consolidation of an institution where he only had two production tools: social commitment and work capacity.
Mercedes Canalda urges women to “always look for space to continue preparing, to continue learning regardless of condition or age, to love what they do but to change jobs because that is where a great part of happiness lies, also to focus, to ambitious goals are set and that they enjoy the challenge of achieving them and finally and not most importantly, resilience, proactivity, ability to adapt to change and view each difficulty as an opportunity».
Glory Reyes
For her part, Gloria Reyes has shown how professional women can develop in public institutions; she was elected deputy representing District 5 of the Province of Santo Domingo, for the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), in the 2016 elections, being the youngest legislator in the National Congress. She has also been recognized with the National Youth Award, in the Political Leadership category.
From a very young age he began to develop in politics and carry out social activism, which resulted in his effort and dedication in gaining the trust of the people, Reyes said.
“When you work with teams of diverse people, sometimes with very imposing ways of being, finding a way to reconcile criteria is essential for projects to move forward.”
Among his greatest achievements, he highlighted, personally, that without a doubt it has been to maintain a very close and trusting relationship with his family.
“And professionally, I would highlight two moments: the first, when I managed to become a deputy, deputy spokesperson before the Chamber of Deputies and national vice president of my party; and the second, the day I saw the consolidation of the country’s new approach to social protection through the Supérate Program, with the president’s decree that transformed the vision of social protection policy”.
Reyes tells the women that to achieve goals there are only three steps: start working on achieving them, keep working and achieve them.
And for that it is necessary to stay in continuous training, expand the circles of friends and collaborators. And of course, it is always necessary to know that all goals are achieved by exhausting a process.
