The following Q&A is courtesy of Dawn Welch, Owner of Rock Café, A Route 66 destination located in Stroud, Oklahoma. Aside from the fabulous Oklahoma cooking, the Rock is known for its grill - apparently the oldest in the state of Oklahoma - which survived the cafe being burned to the ground and at 74 years old is responsible for serving over 5 million burgers in its lifetime!
For 2013, Dawn mentored Winnie Atukunda, Shades Corner, Kigali, Rwanda. It is worth noting that since returning to Kigali in August, Winnie has opened her second restaurant location within Kigali.
IEEW: What drew you to decide to mentor an Afghan or Rwandan business woman through the IEEW PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® program?
DAWN: I was drawn to the program because it’s been a dream of mine to work with women and children in non-profit. When I heard about IEEW it was a perfect fit.
IEEW: How did you anticipate the needs of Winnie prior to her arriving in the U.S. for the Mentorship program?
DAWN: I spoke with Winnie as often as possible. Communication was difficult because of her access to the internet. I made a phone call to a [PTB Volunteer] who had met Winnie and been in Rwanda who could nail down her exact needs in business.
IEEW: Was much of what you did pre-planned or did you end up ‘winging it’ once Winnie arrived and you had more time to get to know each other?
DAWN: My pre-planning was a piece of what was needed but it was ‘winging it’ that finallly brought us together as businesswomen. There was much more bonding in the ‘winging it’ and once we bonded the other pre-planned ideas could be fostered.
IEEW: What was your biggest surprise about mentoring a business woman from Rwanda?
DAWN: The biggest surprise was the family aspect. Family roles in a businesswoman’s career are a main and universal concern. I was also very surprised at the economy of Rwanda.
IEEW: How have you interacted with Winnie since she returned home?
DAWN: Winnie and I interact often. She and I will forever be friends and talk on a weekly to biweekly basis. A trip to see her is on my bucket list. As she has stated to me - “It is my turn.”
IEEW: What was your personal gain in mentoring?
DAWN: I had many personal gains but my favorite was being reminded where I had been and how I pushed to continue a business I believed in and having the opportunity to share it with a woman with as much passion for life and her business as myself. To understand, as many hardships as I have overcome, that life can always throw harder punches. Winnie taught me a whole new level of will and sheer determination in both business and family.
