IEEW is a 501(c)3 non-profit empowering women to grow their businesses, pursue greater entrepreneurial ventures, and become more active public policy advocates. The Institute accomplishes this mission by focusing on education, mentorship, and coaching women in the US and abroad who are seeking to acquire entrepreneurial skills to help start and grow a business. The Institute’s PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® program was created to educate women who have suffered oppression and marginalization and whose homelands have been devastated by war, genocide, and poverty.
Impact:
2016 marks the 10th year of our PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® Program. We have graduated over 500 women business owners from Rwanda and Afghanistan. Over 80% of our graduates are still in business today. We are very proud of this statistic, as the Small Business Association states that in the U.S. 80% of businesses fail within the first 5 years.
Rwandan Statistics as of 2015:
- On average each PTB graduate creates 22 jobs
- Average Gross Profits range from $14,100-$17,700 per year
- Income per capita in Rwanda is $638 according to the World Bank in 2013.
- 31% of PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® graduates relied on government projects in 2013, however 2014 graduates are cracking open private sector contracts.
- Sonia Ntukanyagwe of Shokola Lite Ltd., was recently awarded a long-term corporate contract
- PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® graduates are very diverse: two 2013 women are in the mobile app industry. Clarisse Iribigiza with Hehe Ltd. made the Forbes “Top African Entrepreneurs” to watch. While in the 2014 class, Anita Haguma took on mobile banking, hiring 16 full time employees in addition to the 4 part time staff
- Our PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® graduates serve as trailblazers throughout Rwanda. For example, Monica Umwari of Angaza Ltd. established the first eco-brand in support of recycled material. Chantal Munanayire, of Quick and C Ltd. was the first woman-owned auto garage and the first female President of the Rwandan Garage Association
- 42% of PTB graduates are Paying it Forward
- 3 PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS ® alumnae have collaborated in establishing the Women and Child Development Center, a center focused on training women and teaching children.
- Jacqueline Nyabwiza is helping Rwandan women create a lending pool among themselves for small loans
- 4 PTB graduates appointed by President Kagame to Rwandan Parliament and Senate
Afghanistan Statistics as of 2015:
- On average each PTB graduate creates 29 jobs
- Average Gross Profit = $27,208 per year
- The gross national income per capita in Afghanistan was $674.00 USD in 2013 according to the World Bank
- Fakhria Ibrahimi creator of Momtaz Host, a Website Domain & Hosting company was awarded a government contract and increased her gross revenue by 153% while maintaining 9 employees between 2013-2014.
- In Afghanistan, PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® graduates have to rely on family investment or government contracts for start-up costs and investments.
- Hakima Zolfaghari and Fakhria Ibrahimi were both awarded government contracts in 2014 while 3 other women received family monies.
- 80% of PTB graduates are Paying it Forward
- Mentoring fellow entrepreneurs in business plan development
- Returning to Kabul and sharing their newly acquired marketing knowledge while promoting the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® Network to support public policy and women entrepreneurs.