The Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women.

Oklahomans Travel to Rwanda to Build Business

April 21st, 2009 Posted by Catherine Neill

Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women

Dr. Terry Neese, Founder / CEO

2709 W. I-44 Service Road, Oklahoma City, OK 73112

405-943-4474

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: April 21, 2009

Contact: Lin Weigel

Office: 405-943-4474

E-mail: [email protected]

OKLAHOMANS LEAVE FOR RWANDA, AFRICA

TO BUILD BUSINESS

(Oklahoma City) The Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women’s Peace through Business® program will send a delegation to Rwanda, Africa from May 1^ST returning May 8^TH. The mission for the trip is to educate, empower, and mentor women business owners in Rwanda.

“Building on the Peace through Business ® program last year where fifteen Rwanda women business owners spent four weeks in Oklahoma, the delegation will visit with government officials, spend time educating women business owners on marketing, management, and business basics; and visit many of the businesses involved in the 2008 and 2009 Peace through Business ® program,” said Terry Neese, Founder & CEO of the Institute. “We are proud to send this delegation to work with women in Rwanda. The delegation includes Mary Melon, President and Publisher, Journal Record; Darcie Harris, (EWF International); Martha Parker, (Founder, Parker & Associates and IEEW board member); Desma Coleman (Founder of multiple businesses & IEEW BOARD MEMBER); and Lin Weigel (IEEW, Chief of Staff)”.

The Peace through Business ® program is conducting In-Country educational programs in Rwanda and Afghanistan to 60 women during March and April. Thirty women business owners from Rwanda and Afghanistan will be chosen to travel to the United States to participate in Leadership Development and International Women’s Economic Summit which begins August 10, 2009. The women will be matched with American women business owners for a five day mentoring program prior to departure back to their homelands.

IEEW is a 501(c)3 non-profit public charity dedicated to the economic empowerment of women through education, coaching, and mentorship. IEEW works collaboratively with educational institutions as well as government and private industry to execute our mission.

IEEW partners include Northwood University, Oklahoma Christian University, Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation, T. Boone Pickens Foundation, Paul Singer, AT&T, and many individual women business owners.

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