Guam, April 25, 2025 — From April 21 to 25, women entrepreneurs from 24 Pacific Island nations gathered in Guam for the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) conference, themed “Where Dreams Become Reality.” Among them was Akanesi Kaufusi, founder of Siuhuu, the first online marketplace created specifically for Pacific Island people.
The conference, hosted by Young Pacific Leaders and Guam Community College, kicked off with an inspiring opening ceremony led by Guam’s Governor, Lou Leon Guerrero. For many women, including Akanesi, it was powerful to witness a woman in leadership open the program. The governor shared her journey and left the audience with unforgettable advice: “Never take no for an answer. Believe in yourself, your vision, and the people you serve. When someone tells you you can’t, tell them ‘watch me.’ There will be failures, but keep going and never give up.”
Lieutenant Governor Joshua Tenorio also addressed the group, adding to the atmosphere of encouragement and empowerment.
During the week, the women entrepreneurs had the opportunity to connect, collaborate, and explore Guam’s culture and business landscape. They visited the Guam Museum to learn about the island’s history and heritage, the Valley of the Latte to observe one of Guam’s leading tourist operations, and the popular Chamorro Village Market, where they engaged with local vendors and saw firsthand the variety of handicrafts and locally owned products on offer.
Akanesi introduced Siuhuu to several local businesses in Guam, inviting them to join the platform as part of her vision to bring together Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian communities into one digital space for buying, selling, and supporting each other’s businesses and economies.
An insightful part of the trip was visiting Guam Green Growth, where the women learned how Guam is transforming plastic waste into usable products. The center demonstrated the machinery used to shred and mold plastic into new items. Akanesi noted that these kinds of machines could be useful across Pacific Island regions as they continue to face the climate crisis.
The women also visited the Women’s Chamber of Commerce in Guam, where they networked with local women entrepreneurs and learned how the chamber operates. For many of the attendees from Polynesian and Melanesian regions, where no such women-led chambers exist, this was an inspiring and practical model. It offered insight into how women in the Pacific could create similar spaces in their home islands to work together and support one another.
Akanesi shared, “It’s been amazing coming to Guam and witnessing the incredible recognition and support for women across different groups and networks. This week, we had the honor of meeting inspiring women, including the National Association of Women in Construction and many others. It’s truly empowering to see how women here work together, uplift one another, and lead with strength and unity.”
The founder was also featured in the Guam Daily Post news, where she shared her vision and dream for Siuhuu as the first Pacific Island marketplace, an “Amazon or Alibaba version of the Pacific.”
She returned home energized and inspired by the powerhouse women she met, and is already in discussions with several of them about joining Siuhuu and collaborating on future projects.
The virtual phase of the AWE program kicks off on May 2, and Akanesi is ready to keep building. Her focus now is completing the training, connecting with investors, and securing funding to grow and scale Siuhuu into the go-to marketplace for Pacific Island products and services globally, supporting Pacific-owned businesses all over the world.
