The Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women.

NAME: Rahela Kaveer

COUNTRY: Afghanistan

BUSINESS: Afghan Women Empowerment Organization (AWEO)

Rahela, 39 years old, owns AWEO, an organization dedicated to the empowerment of Afghan women. Rahela took on a big risk early in life when she left her home in Mazar to help distribute medical and educational materials to Bamyan, which was under strict economic and military control by the Taliban.

After successfully re-establishing the collapsed health system in this province, Rahela began to focus on how she could help women through literacy and vocational training, including animal husbandry, housekeeping and quilt-making. All projects were aimed to generate income for women.

Rahela started AWEO one year ago after some basic planning and strategizing. After she registered the company with the Ministry of Economic, she prepared proposals.

With 10 employees, AWEO focuses on empowering rural women in aqua culture and animal husbandry. The company also implements fish farming and has introduced improved breeds of sheep and cattle, which has resulted in higher incomes for the women.

Over the next five years, Rahela’s business goals include increasing the women’s incomes and continuing to provide alterative opportunities for women in rural areas instead of growing poppy.

By attending PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS, Rahela wants to learn more about management skills and get more ideas for starting new businesses as well as how to discover more opportunities in both local and international markets.

NAME: Parinaz Hissami

COUNTRY: Afghanistan

BUSINESS: MEDA (business development)

Parinaz, 23 years old, works as a business development manager for MEDA, which works with 2,250 rural female farmers in Afghanistan.

While the organization reaches over 2,000 women directly, it reaches 10,000 family members indirectly.

In addition to providing farming activities, MEDA helps these women turn their farming projects into viable businesses. As a business development manager, Parinaz provides training and support. Parinaz is passionate about her business because it allows her to take part in the development of her country, to help bring peace to families and their communities and to make a positive change.

Parinaz says that her commitment to Afghanistan is in a fundamental way a part of her search for my own identity and moral fulfillment. She has learned that education is of the utmost importance, and her training in business administration and management has engrossed her in Afghanistan’s business development. She has carefully observed development policies, short-term approaches, lack of capacities, and coordination gaps among the different line organizations.

After learning about the Institute, Parinaz believes the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS program can help Afghan women develop their businesses in a successful and professional way.

Over the next five years, Parinaz wants to see that all of the women she helps can legally own businesses in their own names.

“My main goal is to have a life-altering opportunity and to equip myself with modern theoretical knowledge in the field of business development. This program will help me to better understand the complex business issues and alternative solutions that can be effective.”