Mentorship Week is always a once-in-a-lifetime experience for PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® mentors and their families. Founder & CEO, Dr. Terry Neese, set the tempo ten years ago by always including her mother, Vida Bowles, and her daughter, Kim Neese, in the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women’s mission to empower entrepreneurs from Afghanistan and Rwanda economically, socially and politically. The social part is as important as economics and political advocacy – they all go hand-in-hand. There are so many poignant examples of family involvement, especially during the mentorship portion of Leadership Development in the United States.
Anna Kaliza, a 2015 PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® entrepreneur from Rwanda, owns Malaika Media, Ltd, an
Anna Kaliza, Malaika Media, LTD with her La Quinta Hotels & Suites Mentorship Team. July 2015
independent marketing firm. Anna’s eMentor, Renee Jones, SCG Group, out of New Jersey, made arrangements for Anna to spend time with La Qunta Hotels & Suites headquarters marketing team in Dallas, TX. In collaboration, Royalyn Reid, CMI, an IEEW Advisory Committee contributor, took on the responsibility of hosting Anna in her home and working with La Quinta on mentorship logistics. Royalyn’s family always takes part in PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® activities and her mother, Billye, attends all of our programs and volunteers wherever she can. On Sunday, the first day of mentorship, Royalyn shared that her family was really enjoying Anna. They were running through some of Anna’s bucket list of what she wanted to see while in Dallas.
“…Anna even fell in love with our little dog, Peter…something she never expected! (LOL) Anna enjoyed going to WalMart last night and eating at a cafeteria after church (she wanted to go) – covering things on her wish list: Cowboy Stadium (my mom and husband are taking her while I work on proposal), learning a couple of dances she knew of, etc. She also showed us some Rwanda native dances! Will transition from fun weekend to get ready for a big week of business learning now.”
The Mentorship is shared beyond family as well. Many on the La Quinta Hotels staff took part in educating Anna on marketing techniques in theUnited States. Sonu Ratra’s entire Akraya, Inc. staff also takes part in mentoring. This year, Sonu’s team mentored Dianne Dusaidi and Divine Umubyeyi from Rwanda. Candice Trebus, Marketing Manager, put together the mentor week agenda for the two and a good time was had by all. Robin Otten, an Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women board member from Albuquerque, New Mexico, hosted Jane Murerwa, an agribusinsss. Robin invited her best friend’s son, Monte Skarsgard, an organic farmer, to mentor Jane on his farm for the week while Jane and Robin had fun together after work. Robin also introduced Jane to some of New Mexico’s women business owner groups and associations.
2015 JEWEL Fashion Show, July 14, 2015. Afghan PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS(r) delegation with OU Medical School models, including Cora Lee Toal wearing jackets made by Wonderland Women, Manizha Wafeq of Afghanistan.
Our long-time supporter and new board member from Oklahoma City, Dr. Susan Chambers, has a daughter inmedical school, Cora Lee Toal, who recruited a few of her friends from medical school modeled Manizha Wafeq’s jacket designs at the fifth annual JEWEL Fashion Show in Oklahoma City during mentorship week, July 14. And we couldn’t have done it all without the help of giving spouses such as Dr. Chambers’ husband, Dr. Kyle Toal, and others like Richard Hill, Randy Cramer and Marylee Strange.
If you are interested in mentoring a Rwandan or Afghan entrepreuneur in 2016, our tenth year anniversary of PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS®, contact Mentorship & Programs Coordinator, Karel Ford, [email protected] or 405.943.4474.
Pa Dianne Dussadi, Divine Umubyeyi and the Akraya, Inc team headed by Sonu Ratra. Santa Clara, July, 2015.
Jane Murerwa, Robin Otten and Patience Skarsgard, Albuquerque, July 2015.
