Supporting businesswomen during and after wars

News

Ashoka Yobo Member
June 21st, 2010

by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

This week in New York Goldman Sachs’ 10000 Women program and Isobel Coleman at the Council on Foreign Relations showcased women entrepreneurs from a number of nations, including Afghanistan. The 10000 Women program offers 40 hours of management training to women in business, government and civil society. It provides an introduction to and an education on balance sheets, marketing and the importance of formulating and implementing a business plan.

Zainab Salbi of Women for Women International talked of the importance of focusing on women in war and the power of girls and women to be change agents in their communities.

Also this week, the non-profit Bpeace pushed its Race for Innovation, a business plan contest for businesswomen in Afghanistan and Rwanda. Entries have ranged from potato chip factories to food delivery firms to a construction business focused on destruction-proof shelters. And the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women held its Peace Through Leadership event in Dallas for businesswomen from Rwanda and Afghanistan. More than 20 women from the two nations headed to Dallas for training and mentoring aimed at helping their businesses back home.

The idea of supporting businesswomen during and after war has caught hold among at least some portion of the development and business communities. The question now is how to address the three major challenges facing female entrepreneurs: 1) Access to Markets, 2) Access to Information and Training, and 3) Access to Capital. Getting these right would help women build upon the training they receive to strengthen operations, grow their businesses and find new customers, both at home and abroad.

And women earning income means more resources for stronger families — and a better chance at education for the next generation.

This story originally appeared at the Ashoka Peace blog

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