Texas Campus Hosts 3rd Annual Peace Through Business Initiative
Women throughout the world are embracing the philosophy that an economically sound country has a much greater capacity for peace.
Women throughout the world are embracing the philosophy that an economically sound country has a much greater capacity for peace. Northwood University, in partnership with The Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW), hosted the third annual Peace Through Business initiative. This year women from both Afghanistan and Rwanda came to our Texas Campus to learn how to make their own businesses back home thrive.
Dr. Terry Neese, founder of IEEW, believes the best way to develop economic stability is to build a solid middle class through the largest population demographic -- women.
"When you educate a woman, you educate a village, you educate a country, and you educate the world," Neese said. Neese recieved an honorary doctorate degree at the 2008 commencement ceremony for the Peace Through Business graduates.
Peace Through Business is a training program designed to provide long-term business education to women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan and Rwanda. Through private partners, government agencies, and American women business owners, the program is divided into three phases: In-Country Education, Leadership Development/International Women's Economic Summit/Mentorship, and Pay it Forward.
Since its creation in 2007, the program has trained more than 100 women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan and Rwanda. This August, 30 selected women business owners from both countries arrived in Dallas, Texas, and spent three weeks learning how to become leaders in their countries. The students engaged in a series of in-depth discussions with leading experts on specific business topics through Leadership Development and an International Women's Economic Summit.
After Leadership Development and the Summit, the students entered the Mentorship phase. Each student was matched with an American woman business owner, whom she lived and worked with for five days. The purpose was to take all of the information the students learned and apply it to real life scenarios. A secondary benefit was to develop relationships with women who may become long-term mentors and potential business contemporaries and allies. Despite today's economy, women business owners from all over the United States, including four from Texas, have volunteered their time, talent, and resources as mentors for this year's program.
Former First Lady Laura Bush is a supporter of the program. She spoke in person to this year's class and gave remarks to the Peace Through Business Afghan graduation in 2008 via DVD. Neese and Mrs. Bush first became acquainted through the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council, when a council member recommended Neese in 2007 to Mrs. Bush as the No. 1 woman in the United States who could design and implement a meaningful and successful mentorship program for Afghan women. Other IEEW supporters and sponsors include the Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation, the T. Boone Pickens Foundation, Paul Singer, AT&T, and Office Depot.
Dr. Kevin Fegan, provost of Northwood University's Texas Campus, said it was a privilege for Northwood to host these women and help them develop entrepreneurial skills.
"The way the IEEW empowers women and educates them so they can educate others is admirable - and it all complements Northwood's distinguished history of developing entrepreneurs," Fegan said. "I know each one of them will experience tremendous success."
Once the students return to their countries, they are tasked through the program to "Pay Forward" their knowledge to other women in their countries.
A collaborative luncheon with Northwood University and the Institute for the Economic Empowerment of Women was held in Houston to fund Peace Through Business.
The fundraiser was held at The Houstonian Hotel Club & Spa on June 5. It was co-chaired by Houstonians Dr. Carolyn Farb, a 1996 Northwood University Distinguished Woman and honorary doctorate recipient, and Betty Hrncir, a 2008 Northwood University Distinguished Woman. Northwood alumnus, Dr. Mark Yanke, President and CEO of Redstone Companies Hospitality and Northwood University honorary doctorate recipient, underwrote the cost of the luncheon.
"The Afghan women live a breath away from the Taliban. Women in Rwanda represent 82 percent of their country's population since the insurgence has killed so many men in their nation," Dr. Farb told the crowd. "The first Peace Through Business program was conducted in 2007 with many success stories. The women took home new and positive experiences to teach other women business owners and entrepreneurs."
Dr. Farb noted each participant leaves the program with a completed business plan to follow. They continue receiving support when they return to their home countries from the women mentors they lived with for five days in America. They also receive continued support from other women they meet during the intensive training on Northwood's campus. In fact, the women's survival, in many cases, is dependent upon the businesses they start and grow and the mentors who provide them with the realistic hands-on approach to the free-enterprise method of operating a business.
Becca Colbaugh and Lauren D'Avolio
