Peace Through Business

by Jessica Titlebaum (Chicago)

The Institute of Economic Empowerment for Women (IEEW) is in the business of providing opportunities for underprivileged women. Believing that nations with a stable economy are in a better position to promote and accept peaceful solutions, they launched the Peace through Business initiative.

According to Kathy Neill, Program Coordinator at IEEW, the program actually grew out request from the U.S. State Department to develop a business training program for women in Afghanistan. “The program is founded on a simple premise: It’s possible to change the world by educating women about business and giving them the tools to succeed,” said Terry Neese, the president of IEEW in a Northwood University Press Release.

 

In 2007, 12 Afghani women flew from Kabul to the United States to immerse themselves in business education classes and hands-on entrepreneurial experience. The women went through preliminary training in Afghanistan and then spent three weeks in Midland, Michigan at Northwood University learning world economics, sound business practices and how to develop a comprehensive business plan. The curriculum for the classes was developed under Afghani-American professor John Amin, who was educated at the University of Kabul and has been on staff at Northwood University for 20 years.

At the conclusion of the three week course, the women were paired up with female business owners in the United States for one week to gain first hand experience in best practices and marketing . Christine Greve, who works at the Small Business Center at Delta College in Bay County, Michigan, was paired up with Hamida, an Afghani business consultant looking to expand her business know-how through the IEEW initiative. “While Hamida was here, she went to a Midland Downtown Development Economic Committee meeting. She heard the President of the Chamber of Commerce and committee members talk about new initiatives in the Midland area. She came away with an understanding of the opportunity and support given to business owners here in Midland,” said Ms. Greve.

The two women also brainstormed how they could maximize opportunities for women in Afghanistan. She said that Hamida wanted to foster a community in Afghanistan and create a venue at which women could meet. The two women discussed how Hamida could provide resources to the women and could become the “go-to” person for business consulting in her area. “Women start businesses in America all the time and we take advantage of the opportunities we have here,” said Ms. Greve, “There are challenges in other parts of the world for business owners. I am thankful for the opportunity I had to help Hamida approach those challenges.”

After the program’s completion, the women return to their homelands with their newly-learned skills to pursue business ventures, as well as to become active public policy advocates. The women also “pay it forward” by training and mentoring next year’s students, which ensures a sustainable initiative.

This summer, the program was expanded to provide 15 Rwandan women the opportunity to build their business know-how at the Oklahoma Christian University. This was in addition to the 15 new Afghani students enrolled in the Northwood University program.

“Building on our history from last year, it has been amazing to see the effect of Peace through Business in the lives of its participants and those around them,” said Ms. Neese to Oklahoma City’s Journal Record. “These women are creating strong businesses and planting seeds for other women to achieve economic freedom.”