The Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women.

Educate a woman, educate a nation

Peace Through Business program bridges cultures, creates leaders — and builds nations.

What a small world we live in.

Just a few weeks ago, Leonia Nkuruh, a graduate of the 2010 Peace Through Business program offered by the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women, contacted me with some exciting news. Leonia is from Rwanda, and she’s currently in India with her husband (who is now the Rwandan ambassador to India). She recently enjoyed a surprise visit from another 2010 Peace Through Business graduate, Parinaz Hissami from Afghanistan. They had lunch together, as well as a discussion about business and Parinaz’s current project in Afghanistan, the first women’s farmer’s market.

Their meeting goes to show you that even though our planet is rather big, it truly is a small world after all. Two women from two very different societies and backgrounds were strangers when they began the institute’s program, yet now they are sisters for life. It’s a testament to the institute’s ability to bridge cultures and create lifelong friendships among hundreds of women across the globe.

But the institute does more than build friendships — we build leaders.

When you think of the word “leader,” you might immediately think of the concept of power. However, at the institute, we believe that the greatest concept of all is empowerment. We empower women every day through our Peace Through Business program; and so far, we’ve touched the lives of hundreds of women worldwide.

Right now, we’re gearing up to build even more change agents with our 2011 program, and plans are in full swing. We are eager to see what this year brings.

Through the institute’s Peace Through Business program, women entrepreneurs (just like Parinaz and Leonia) are provided with long-term business training in war-torn countries, specifically Afghanistan and Rwanda. We believe that when you educate a woman, you educate a nation; and it is widely recognized that an economically sound country has a much greater capacity for peace. So as these women are building their businesses, they are helping to build their countries. Together, we are building the economic road to peace.

Next summer, the institute will welcome 30 participants to the United States. Although they come from different cultures and are in very different fields — including beekeeping, fuel distribution, communications, education and website design — they share a common goal: to learn self-sufficiency. These aspiring women business owners will complete coursework at Northwood University in Texas, as well as mentorships nationwide with American women business owners before graduating and returning to their home countries in August.

While they are in our country, they will experience much of our culture. The women will also experience life with a woman business owner and see how she balances her life, family and work. But nothing takes the place of one-on-one, hands-on mentoring in the workplace. They will garner knowledge on marketing, finances, staffing, communications — and so much more. Yet their work really begins when they go back home to “pay forward” the knowledge and training they have gained while in our country.

In addition to the opportunities we create for women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan and Rwanda, opportunities are created for American women business owners, as well. By serving as mentors, American women spend one-on-one time with our students and see firsthand their incredible motivation, progress and spirit. These women business owners are an integral part of the experience of paying forward their own blessings to a woman entrepreneur from Afghanistan or Rwanda, thus showing true qualities of leadership. One might assume the mentees are the ones who benefit most from the mentorship aspect of the program, but as one American woman business owner put it, “I honestly believe that I learned so much more from my student than she did from me. It’s simply amazing!”

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. Last year’s students have increased revenue, expanded staff and made major gains in the economic marketplace. One woman even ran for parliament and won.

These brave women dream of a better life and often have overcome extreme hardship to put that dream into motion. We are proud of the international entrepreneurs who have committed to a better life, as well as the American women business owners committed to leading by example. And our outreach extends beyond the 150 women we’ve educated since 2007. Through the multiplier effect and the “pay it forward” aspect of the program, our students have been sharing their knowledge and training, reaching masses throughout their countries.

As entrepreneurs, we must address the growing needs and issues surrounding our global economy and our fellow world citizens, and this is exactly what the institute does by focusing on the strengths and contributions of women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan and Rwanda, the obstacles they face and free-economy solutions to peace. Our Peace Through Business program is changing the world one woman at a time.

Think about being a mentor to one of these women next July. We have a pool of American women business owners that we go to as soon as we know what types of companies our 2011 business owners have. To be part of our pool of women entrepreneurs, click on this link to complete the application.

Terry Neese is founder of the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women. Based in Oklahoma City, Okla., IEEW provides domestic and international training for women business owners in the areas of public policy and entrepreneurial education.