LEE'S SUMMIT, MO. -
Violence plagued Afghanistan held its election Thursday. Meanwhile, some in the Kansas City metro are working for peace in Afghanistan by encouraging business opportunities for women.
The program is called Peace through Business. It brings women from war torn countries to the U.S.
They'll learn from women business owners, like Bennett Packaging and Display, one of the largest women owned businesses in the Kansas City area.
On Friday, an Afghan business woman toured the Bennett Packaging Plant in Lee's Summit with her mentor.
Kathy Bennett started the business 22-years-ago making cardboard boxes and displays.
"We're approximately $35 million in sales now," said Bennett.
Now, Bennett is passing on what she's learned to women in the Peace through Business program.
"It involves bringing women from Afghanistan to mentor them and encourage them and train them," said Bennett.
She's proud of the women. It's still dangerous for women in Aghanistan.
"There are instances where will women have acid thrown on them if they dare to go to work to try and support themselves or get educated," said Bennett.
Fears of violence are why the Afghan woman studying with Bennett didn't feel safe showing her face on television or having her name written down.
"We have Al Qaida Taliban in our country and we are really not sure whether it would create problems for us or not," the Afghan business woman said.
Her family fled Afghanistan when she was 14 and returned in 2002. Now, she owns a business with 40 women and 10 men.
"We make volleyball, football, and kids balls," she said.
She wants to learn about making business plans, so she can expand and create more job opportunities for women because many have no choice, they have to work.
"Their husband was killed and died during the war. They are single and have to feed their children," she explained.
Women like her are fighting for her country's future.
"So, it's been very inspiring to me to meet these women," said Bennett. "They're incredible women."
Peace through Business Program: Since the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS program was created in 2006 by IEEW (Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women), more than 100 women have been directly educated and trained including the 2009 program, which is bringing 14 Afghan and 16 Rwandan students to the United States in August. Upon completing the program, the students are committed to communicate with their mentors for at least a year. The women are paired with an American woman business owner to live and work with her for five days.
Key Links: IEEW Flickr site (for relevant photos): http://www.flickr.com/photos/ieew/ IEEW Web site: http://www.ieew.org Bennett Packaging Web site: http://www.bpkc.com/ Kansas City Council of Women Business Owners Website: http://www.kc-cwbo.org
The program is called Peace through Business. It brings women from war torn countries to the U.S.
They'll learn from women business owners, like Bennett Packaging and Display, one of the largest women owned businesses in the Kansas City area.
On Friday, an Afghan business woman toured the Bennett Packaging Plant in Lee's Summit with her mentor.
Kathy Bennett started the business 22-years-ago making cardboard boxes and displays.
"We're approximately $35 million in sales now," said Bennett.
Now, Bennett is passing on what she's learned to women in the Peace through Business program.
"It involves bringing women from Afghanistan to mentor them and encourage them and train them," said Bennett.
She's proud of the women. It's still dangerous for women in Aghanistan.
"There are instances where will women have acid thrown on them if they dare to go to work to try and support themselves or get educated," said Bennett.
Fears of violence are why the Afghan woman studying with Bennett didn't feel safe showing her face on television or having her name written down.
"We have Al Qaida Taliban in our country and we are really not sure whether it would create problems for us or not," the Afghan business woman said.
Her family fled Afghanistan when she was 14 and returned in 2002. Now, she owns a business with 40 women and 10 men.
"We make volleyball, football, and kids balls," she said.
She wants to learn about making business plans, so she can expand and create more job opportunities for women because many have no choice, they have to work.
"Their husband was killed and died during the war. They are single and have to feed their children," she explained.
Women like her are fighting for her country's future.
"So, it's been very inspiring to me to meet these women," said Bennett. "They're incredible women."
Peace through Business Program: Since the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS program was created in 2006 by IEEW (Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women), more than 100 women have been directly educated and trained including the 2009 program, which is bringing 14 Afghan and 16 Rwandan students to the United States in August. Upon completing the program, the students are committed to communicate with their mentors for at least a year. The women are paired with an American woman business owner to live and work with her for five days.
Key Links: IEEW Flickr site (for relevant photos): http://www.flickr.com/photos/ieew/ IEEW Web site: http://www.ieew.org Bennett Packaging Web site: http://www.bpkc.com/ Kansas City Council of Women Business Owners Website: http://www.kc-cwbo.org
