by Heather Caliendo
The Journal Record, August 26, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY – On a simple bridge in a quiet backyard, a Rwandan and an Oklahoman take a moment to reflect on their journey. “We have a great relationship,” said Angie Hendricks, president and chief executive of Bentley Hedges Travel Services in Oklahoma City. “But I think it takes a lot of trust with each other, and that trust will allow us to go forward.”
Angie Hendricks and Nadia Keza are two women who live worlds apart but were brought together on the principle that business can create peace. The Oklahoma City-based Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women touts the idea that women are the key to development through emerging economies. The Institute’s Peace through Business program is designed to provide long-term business education to women entrepreneurs in Rwanda and Afghanistan. This year, 30 women selected from both countries are participating in the program.
One component of the training is for the women to be matched with American mentors with similar careers as their own. Last year, Hendricks mentored a travel agent from Rwanda. When she found out this year’s class had another woman in the travel industry, she jumped at the chance to mentor again.
“I just wanted to have that experience again,” she said. “It has been wonderful, if not even better (than last year).”
Before Hendricks and Keza crossed paths and started on a road of a business partnership, they were running travel agencies in their respective countries. Keza said she felt her trip to America would help improve her leadership skills.
“I felt it was very good for me to come and see how other travel agents are working in the United States,” she said. “I knew I would learn finance and the practical side.”
Through Peace through Business, the visiting women have a schedule to follow, but it’s up to the mentors to take them to work and entertain them at night. Prior to Keza’s visit to America, she and Hendricks talked through e-mail, establishing the beginnings of their relationship. Still, before the two women met, Hendricks said, she wasn’t sure what to expect.
“Well, I heard she was really nice and knew she had to be a good sport to do this,” she said. When the women finally met, they immediately felt comfortable. “She gave me a big hug,” Keza said. “It was like we already knew each other.” “We had each other at hello,” Hendricks said as the friends laughed.
For the women, laughter proved to serve as the universal language. Laughter helped bridge differences in age, culture and business methods. “To be with my husband and I, you have to laugh and roll with the punches,” Hendricks said. “We’ve had a blast.”
Keza worked Hendricks’ 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. schedule, and Hendricks took Keza on appointments, as well as had her work with different members of her agency. One common ground the women found they had was customer service. Hendricks said she could tell by Keza’s gentle nature that she treats clients with respect. “When it comes to customer service, that sets both of us apart from others,” she said. “It gets in your blood to be of service.”
Keza said customer service is not well-known her in country. She said she constantly is trying to educate her employees on the importance of good customer service. “We’re selling a service,” she said. “We must work hard for that.”
A difference between their operations is Hendricks’ company offers an array of travel services, while Keza’s focuses on air tickets and short tips to the southern Africa area. Not many travel agents book trips outside of those areas, Keza said. After seeing how their professional and personal relationship clicked, Hendricks said she and Keza decided to form a business partnership. Keza is going to work with Hendricks on offering vendor vacation packages to Europe through the vendor that Hendricks’ company utilizes.
“She can sell into that program as an independent agent of ours,” Hendricks said. “With technology, she can be like a branch of our office and us be of hers. We have the ability to do things like that and do business together.”
“There is no time zone difference, because we both work 24 hours a day,” Hendricks said as she and Keza laughed. “Now I have a contact and friend where we can continue to work together,” she said. “I can now offer so many more choices to my clients that the competition doesn’t have.”
Another profound learning experience for Keza was finding out how to market herself and the business. Unlike American culture, she said Rwanda women do not talk about themselves. She was surprised to see Hendricks had awards hanging on the wall because in Rwanda that simply doesn’t exist. She said she has acquired several tips in marketing and networking in order to gain more business. “Marketing – oh my goodness, that is a big one,” Keza said. “I will go back and teach about how you talk about oneself and the importance of networking.”
During Keza’s visit she attended a Rotary club meeting, saw Bricktown and took time to devour an ice cream cone. Keza said she took her profound memories and an increased knowledge base for business back to Rwanda. Before she left, Hendricks found a quote that she felt suited Keza. “People won’t remember what you said. But they’ll remember how you made them feel.”
When the two women said their goodbyes, it was bittersweet but neither woman cried. The two said they know they will keep in touch and continue to expand their business through partnerships. “To be a mentor, the awards far outweigh any downside, which there really isn’t any at all,” Hendricks said. “But to give yourself, it’s just so rewarding. It really is rewarding. Plus you make new friends.” “That is true,” Keza said.
Women’s rights and issues in Afghanistan is not a topic that has gone unnoticed. In Lina Abirafeh’s new book , “Gender and International Aid in Afghanistan” she takes a look at the gender agenda in Afghanistan and how international aid is involved and the progress it is making.
