The third component in the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® program is Pay it Forward. Both Afghanistan and Rwanda have created their own alumnae associations to help educate more people in their communities and to support their fellow colleagues. With 300 women and growing in each country, the impact of their advocacy is reaching levels of government and industry at a powerful force.
Afghanistan: PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® Network
Afghan women are quite determined and eager to embrace their new-found position in a free market economy by paying forward their expertise. Recent accomplishments include:
- PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® Network is the first Afghan organization to officially celebrate International Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, on November 19th, since 2015.
- PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® Network is the first Afghan organization to launch an annual award recognizing successful businesswomen around the country. The award, named after the Prophet Mohamamd (PBUH) Khadija, the wife of Mohamed, was a promenent leader in the ancient global trade routes, as well as a generous philanthropist. The award includes a grant for the winners and is celebrated at a well-publicized gala.
- PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® Network was an instrumental founding organization of Leading Entrepreneurs for Afghanistan’s Development (LEAD) and has played a role advocating for women’s economic empowerment, as well as business women’s concerns and interests over the past two years. Recent LEAD accomplishments include a voice at the international table regarding the future of Afghanistan. PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® took a prominent panel seat alongside First Lady Rula Ghani at the Fall 2016 International Conference on Afghanistan held in Brussels, Belgium.
2016-17 Board of Directors for the Afghanistan PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS(r) Network: From Left - Homa Usmany, Bayani Salimi, Fahkria Ebrahimi, Sadaf Sadat (Vice President), Zahra Jafar (President), Muzhda Ehsan and Razia Aseman. Not Pictured: Lina Shafaq, Herat Province (Vice President in charge of Provinces). - September 2016, Kabul
Rwanda: PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® Alumnae Association
Our Rwanda alumnae share their happy spirit and message of inclusion by paying it forward via their own nonprofiit development programs. Recent accomplishments include:
- Working with Dr. Terry Neese, Oklahoma City and the City of Kigali on a MoU that ensures PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® will always have a place to train and meet within the new City Hall and, once completed, the new Women’s Center building.
- Bringing together the necessary parties to implement a Club 29 (Oklahoma City) Rotary grant that will furnish the new PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® Training Facility within the Women’s Center.
- Committed to mentoring other business women within Rwanda that have not yet had the privelege to attend the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® program, as well as support each other by promoting and highlighting their own businesses.
During the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS(r) delegation trip to Rwanda in March 2016, volunteer Royalyn Reid, Dallas entrepreneur, worked with the Rwanda PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS(r) Alumnae Association on strategic planning and organizing. From Left: Lilian Uwukuri, Royalyn Reid, Billye Reyes, Chantal Munanayire, Lyliose Nduhungirehe and Sonia Ntukanyagwe. - March 2016, Kigali