The Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women.

Who Are We?

Mission Statement

The Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (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 United States and abroad who are seeking to acquire entrepreneurial skills to help start and grow a business.

Empowering Women - Public policy affects the bottom line of all businesses, but especially small business in the form of government structure, taxes, city, state and federal rules governing business, etc. The list is endless. Empowering Women is a one-day training designed to teach women business owners the importance of becoming involved in public policy, why it is important to know your elected officials before you need them, how to become a resource to your elected officials, and to teach the steps necessary to accomplish this goal. Read more.

Peace through Business®

IEEW believes that when women are allowed to participate equally and fully in business, then that country has a much greater capacity for economic stability and peace. Peace through Business® trains women entrepreneurs in war torn countries in basic business practices, then goes a step further by providing mentorship with American women business owners. These courageous women spend 3 weeks in class learning business basics through a entrepreneurial University, then take that information and transfers it into ‘real’ life through mentorship.

It is incumbent upon these women to then ‘pay forward’ their education to other women in their country to spread the light of entrepreneurship and democracy.


Meet The Women You Can Help

Rezai Shahrbanoo*

Rezai operates the Afghanistan Women & Men Development Organization at Jawzak Village. AWMDO has been open since September 2008 and is in the business of processing and packaging almonds. Comparing her operation to that of local processing, Rezai has been able to improve in the areas of quality control, production control and packaging.
AWMDO employs 24 [...]

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Mariam Yousufi*

After leaving Pakistan, where she was a refugee, Marian traveled to Afghanistan and started a handy craft business under the name Mariam Handy Craft. She eventually created “Mariama Education and Culture Association” which trained 370 women in tailoring and literacy. She now sells the goods made by these women.
* Denotes that student has been selected [...]

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Gloria’s business has expanded!

Gloria Uwizera, Peace through Business® 2008 graduate and owner of GLO CREATIONS sent photos of her new endeavor.
She reports:
I would like to share some news with you. For the first news: After my return from the US, I thought of making cushion covers but It took me some time to prepare the designs for it. The [...]

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Ziba Seddiqi opens new business

Ziba Seddiqi Peacehrough Business®2008 graduate reports that in addition to her existing florist business, she has expanded and opened a convenience store..
Ziba attributes part of her success to the training she obtain in 2008 at Northwood University and from the mentors who visited the campus during her Peace through Business® 2008. Ziba proudly sent photos of store. READY [...]

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Real Innovations reporting growth!

Juliet Mbabazi - Peace through Business®2008 graduate and Co-Owner of Real Innovations (http://www.realinnovations.rw/explore.php), an event and branding company reports great successes in her business:
Negotiations are underway with two sizable companies for contract awards. Though talks continue, one contract is near completion but details are not yet available. The awards could represent a valuable 5-year agreement [...]

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Parween Usufi*

Parween is a reseller of craft products such as clothes, including silk garments, small rugs, jewelry and tools for crafts people.
She opened her business in 2007 and has one employee.
She operates with one partner.
* Denotes that student has been selected to travel to the US to participate in Leadership Development at Northwood University in August [...]

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