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U.S. Business Owners Open Their Businesses and Homes to Entrepreneurs of War-Torn Countries

The women entrepreneurs are taking part in the Leadership Development phase of the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS program. While in the United States they will receive intense business training provided by Northwood University's campus in Cedar Hill, TX. They then spend one week living and working throughout the U.S. with American business owners who practice their same trade. Businesses include TV production, cell phone distribution, an orphanage, and even mushroom farming!

"The women get to experience the work-life balance from an American perspective," said Dr. Terry Neese, Founder/CEO of the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women and serial entrepreneur. "In the end, they learn we all struggle to be the best boss, employee, mother, and wife that we can be no matter what country we live in."

The students will mentor in Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington, D.C.

The U.S. phase of the program wraps up with the International Women's Economic Summit at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. In honor of IEEW's five year anniversary, this year's theme is Women, Step Up! Summit speakers include Melanne Verveer, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large, Global Women's Issues; Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Congresswoman (R-WA); Donna Edwards, U.S. Representative (D-MD); and Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, New York Times Best-Selling Author of The Dressmaker of Khair Khana.

"They all learn from each other during the program," says Dr. Neese. "It's rare for Afghan women to own businesses, but they're learning how to do it. Rwandan women are so independent and were forced to rebuild their country after so many men were killed during the genocide. They talk to each other and realize how far they've come. All of this happens while the American women entrepreneurs tell me how blessed they are to realize they live in a country where freedom is considered a basic human right."

Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women
Linda Mares, 405-943-4474
Cell: 832-265-3840
E-mail: lmares@ieew.org