Peace Through Business Webinar #1: Afghanistan

When it comes to peacebuilding, business might not be the first answer that springs to mind. But for almost two decades, the Peace Through Business program has proved empowering women entrepreneurs is one of the most effective ways to repair broken societies. This was the first webinar in a series of three aimed at introducing people to the program's roots in Afghanistan, the women whose lives were changed and how urgently this work needs continued support - and growth. From Vision to Reality The Peace Through Business program was started by Dr. Terry Neese nearly 20 years ago at the suggestion of First Lady Laura Bush. The aim was humble but audacious: to empower Afghan women to enter their country’s economic life, become business leaders and play a role in rebuilding a nation emerging from the darkness of Taliban rule. The public-private aspect of this from the very beginning made it different. This autonomy enabled the program to be flexible, creative and genuinely responsive to women. It also espoused a philosophy of paying it forward — the graduates were urged to not only expand their own businesses, but also to be advocates for others and create policies that would lift up other women across Afghanistan. Peace Through Business Program with Lasting Impact More than 900 Afghan women have been trained and mentored through Peace Through Business since 2007. These women are one of a kind trailblazers in every way. They have started Afghanistan’s first printing press owned by women, established women’s gyms to encourage health, ventured into logistics companies and forged a path into fields once thought inappropriate. One alum alone, for instance, sold her jewelry to fund a dried fruit-exporter dream. With the support of the program, she developed a business plan, figured out how to negotiate with international buyers and eventually, became one of the country’s top exporters — until Taliban control prompted her to shut down operations. Today, she is building again, with resilience and strength. Other graduates teamed up to form the country’s first Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This advocacy group turned into the Afghan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which helped influence national trade policy, procurement laws and industrial land allocation processes — to ensure that women business owners were included in plans for the future. These are not small wins. They embody seismic cultural changes in a country where women were once banished from public life. Persevering Amid Crisis This whole success story was upended on August 15, 2021, when the Taliban reconquered Afghanistan. Decades of advances for women were rolled back in a single day. Gender Apartheid Since then, more than 130 decrees have curtailed women’s rights, whatever those might be to a Muslim cleric in this type of Islamic state. But the women of Peace Through Business aren’t ready to quit. Many are now operating home-based businesses, needing little more than a smart phone to connect with trainers and mentors. Former college professors, nonprofit workers and government employees — now unable to practice their professions — are remaking themselves as entrepreneurs. Their steadfastness to create livelihoods for themselves and others is an act of resistance and hope. Training That Changes Lives At its essence, Peace Through Business is more than a workshop or a certificate program. It’s a meticulously planned learning trajectory. The participants acquire practical business skills — from writing business plans, to marketing and export. They are matched with mentors, often through virtual “e-mentoring,” enabling supporters from across the world to walk alongside them in their growth. Above all graduates take with them more than knowledge. They come away with a sisterhood —women committed to lifting one another. It’s this network that supports them through hard times and drives the ripple effect of change in their community. Why Now Matters--Why You Matter More Than Ever This year, more than 120 Afghan women applied for just 35 slots in the program. Demand is exponentially greater than supply at present. In a world where Afghanistan is fading from the headlines, never has the help been needed more. “There is no other program that rivals it,” Monica Smiley, publisher of Enterprising Women and president of the Enterprising Women Foundation said in a webinar, “No matter where you are or what your career is … if you really want to make a difference in this world — significant difference — I can’t think of a better example than the Peace Through Business program.” How You Can Help Afghan women are not seeking charity, they are asking for opportunity. And we can help provide it. With a contribution, you are providing support for training programs, mentoring and small grants that enable women to begin or rebuild businesses. When you volunteer as a mentor, you’re...