AN ARGUMENT NOT TO CHANGE YOUR NAME WHEN MARRIED
About 3 weeks ago Eunice Shriver died, the founder of Special Olympics. Many articles on her after her death stated she was perhaps the Kennedy sibling that left the biggest legacy. Yet when Senator Ted Kennedy just passed away, she was barely mentioned--but his two brothers were. Is this because:
1) Her last name was no longer Kennedy?
2) She wasn't a male?
3) She was never a Senator?
My vote would go to the first two choices!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Afghanistan and Rwanda Women Business Owners
I had the pleasure of working with the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women in Dallas Texas last week in their Peace Through Business program. Peace through Business® trains women entrepreneurs in war torn countries in basic business practices, then goes a step further by providing mentorship with American women business owners. These courageous women spend 3 weeks in class learning business basics through a entrepreneurial University, then take that information and transfers it into ‘real’ life through mentorship.
After training in their respective countries, 14 women from Afghanistan and 15 women from Rwanda attended a 10-day training at Northwood University in Cedar Hill, TX. Tomorrow they leave Texas to go to places throughout the country to be matched with a woman business owner who has a similar business and will mentor them.
Terry Neese is the President and Founder of IEEW. She is a former national president of NAWBO and the co-founder of WIPP.
I did a day of marketing training with the women, including information on branding, media, networking and message development. I want to introduce you to the women below. (The descriptions are very short because I also used these descriptions in my Twitter account. You can follow me @maryschnack. I also have an account @upfromthedust).
Sarah Mukandutiye from Rwanda has dairy and chicken farm and three greenhouses with tomatoes. Sells 1,000 eggs and 600 liters of milk a day
Khalida Dunya of Afghanistan gives internally displaced people work making soccer and volleyballs--by hand! Wants to start exporting.
Frozan Raufi of Afghanistan owns Family Med Clinic. Needs EKG & digital blood press machines. & grants to treat patients at only $2/person.
Mariam Yousufi started Mariama Education and Culture Assoc in Kabul, a hand craft biz and has trained almost 400 women in tailoring and literacy.
Shakila Rozbeh of Afghanistan provides raw materials to women handcrafters and employs 35 crafters.
Cathy Bitwayiki is an organic farmer in Rwanda. Her goals are to learn how to process and export locally grown fruits and vegetables and to get her company’s products into the organic market.
Immy Kamarade’s company in Kigale, Rwanda distributes petroleum products, cement and coffee. She joined neighbor famers together to sell bigger coffee orders & make a market for all.
Farghana Alimy, 20, only female shop owner in 1 of biggest markets. Also serves as the manager of the Trader Woman’s Association in Kabul.
Francoise Uwamwezi carries on her family business called African Wood Enterprises. The company creates furniture for the home, the office, floor parquets, partitions and ceilings.
“Women in Afghanistan are confined for different reasons…the main reason is lack of ownership. Men have it and women don’t,” said Razia Arefi. “I want to open my own shop and achieve this goal of [ownership] and beat these difficulties.”
Marlene Nyirubutama opened first ice cream shop in Rwanda. She imports ice creams from South Africa and Kenya and now wants to make it herself. She’s in Orange County now studying with a mentor.
Farzana Ebrahimi founded the Kandahar Health and Development Organization (KHDO) in Kandahar, Afghanistan. KDHO specializes in training women in the fields of sewing, embroidering, and knitting. KDHO specializes in training women in the fields of sewing, embroidering, and knitting in hopes that it will help propel them into a successful career down the road.
Annette Karenzi owns a holistic, “ladies only” fitness center in Kigale. When her business grows, she plans to set up a complete executive spa.
Roqia Sajjadi, who spent the majority of her childhood and adolescence in Iran during the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan, has started her own financial consulting services company and is excelling to new heights with it.
Keza Kamwenub is President of IATA Travel Agencies in Kigali, Rwanda. Anyone want to see the gorillas? We edited her brochure!
Deborah Kagwisagye owns and operates Generations Impact, where she trains orphans and former sex workers to be job creators through handcrafting jewelry and wall hangings. She gave me the purse made by orphans—see the photos on my Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/mary.schnack.
Andeisha Farid spent her childhood living in refugee camps in countries neighboring Afghanistan. It was living through this experience that inspired her to get involved with helping children, starting a new non profit, the Afghan Child Education and Care Organization (AFCECO). AFCECO runs 7 orphanages in Afghanistan, 2 orphanages in Pakistan, a girl’s school, and several vocational training centers around the country.
Asma Ataie a 23 year old businesswoman from Kabul, started a small business development firm, which provides BDS (Business Development Services) to growing and budding businesses.
Joan Twagira, with the help of the Oxford University Press, owns Kigali Bookstore-Book Distributors. Her core business includes searching for authors to write books for academic needs and schools, as well as selling English books to the general public.
Lydie Hakizimana owns a book store that sells both new and used books in Kigale. Her overall goal is to develop libraries in schools and hospitals where children would have access to books for free.
Other Rwanda women businessowners. Jane Natukunda owns a tea business. Josephine Mbabzi and Joy Kansangire own promotions businesses. Saudah Nalule owns a beauty shop.
Go to ieew.org for more information, and view photos at www.flickr.com/ieew and at my Facebook account, www.facebook.com/mary.schnack.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Health Care Reform
Write your Congressional Representatives (both House and Senate) today expressing your support of key principles critical to healthcare reform. A 2009 member poll by Women Impacting Public policy showed that 72% of women business owners believe health care reform is needed in order to be successful.
Whether you are a business owner or not, this is an important subject that will affect all of us.
Key components of healthcare reform that WIPP vigorously supports:
·Creation of a private nationwide insurance purchasing pool for small businesses;
·Tax credits for small businesses that offer healthcare to their employees;
·Rating reform and the elimination of health status for benefits rating;
·A simplified enrollment process; and
·An individual requirement for health insurance coverage.
WIPP vigorously opposes:
·An employer mandate that includes small businesses; and
·The taxation of employee health benefits.
What do you think?
Whether you are a business owner or not, this is an important subject that will affect all of us.
Key components of healthcare reform that WIPP vigorously supports:
·Creation of a private nationwide insurance purchasing pool for small businesses;
·Tax credits for small businesses that offer healthcare to their employees;
·Rating reform and the elimination of health status for benefits rating;
·A simplified enrollment process; and
·An individual requirement for health insurance coverage.
WIPP vigorously opposes:
·An employer mandate that includes small businesses; and
·The taxation of employee health benefits.
What do you think?
Monday, July 20, 2009
Ways to Keep Cool
Thanks to Sarah McLean, Sedona Meditation Training Co. [sarah@sedonameditation.com]-Aromatherapy: use pure rose or sandalwood oils - you can even spritz these cooling oils on your skin
-Eat lots of sweet, juicy fruits - avoid sour fruit
-Avoid spicy or salty food
-Cook with cooling herbs like cilantro and fennel
-Avoid excessive heat or sun - stay out of the sun from 10 am until it cools down.
-Hang out with people who bring out your positive side
-Avoid disagreeable people, or violent television
-Give yourself an oil massage with cooling coconut oil
-Go to bed by 10 - 10:30
-Stay hydrated, drink lots of water - avoid alcohol and caffeine
-Speak sweetly and be respectful of others
-Engage in activities that bring you contentment and happiness.
-Walk in nature, especially in cool environments like the woods, mountains and lakes
-Gaze into the night sky, bathe in the cooling light of the moon, or walk into the rising sun for expanded awareness
-Wear cool colors, greens blues, whites. Avoid the hot and spicy colors of red and orange
-Meditate twice a day
-Eat lots of sweet, juicy fruits - avoid sour fruit
-Avoid spicy or salty food
-Cook with cooling herbs like cilantro and fennel
-Avoid excessive heat or sun - stay out of the sun from 10 am until it cools down.
-Hang out with people who bring out your positive side
-Avoid disagreeable people, or violent television
-Give yourself an oil massage with cooling coconut oil
-Go to bed by 10 - 10:30
-Stay hydrated, drink lots of water - avoid alcohol and caffeine
-Speak sweetly and be respectful of others
-Engage in activities that bring you contentment and happiness.
-Walk in nature, especially in cool environments like the woods, mountains and lakes
-Gaze into the night sky, bathe in the cooling light of the moon, or walk into the rising sun for expanded awareness
-Wear cool colors, greens blues, whites. Avoid the hot and spicy colors of red and orange
-Meditate twice a day
Monday, June 15, 2009
AN AMBASSADOR FOR GLOBAL WOMEN'S ISSUES
An important event at the U.S. State Department on Friday means good news for women - and men - around the world, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton swore in her friend and former Chief of Staff Melanne Verveer as the first ever U.S. Ambassador for Global Women's Issues.
"There is so much work to be done to improve the status of women and girls in many parts of the world" Hillary said earlier this week. "Every single day, you can pick up the newspaper or turn on the TV or log on to a website and see the reports of terrible assaults on women's progress. We have to fight these attacks on women's rights, and we have to address the conditions that hold women back and continue to make them the majority of the world's poor, hungry, and unhealthy."
"I don't believe that we can be successful in the many challenges that we face around the world if we don't stand up for the rights of women."
There is so much to be done; but let's take a minute to cheer the new Ambassador for Global Women's Issues - and the commitment of the United States to the lives of women and girls around the world.
Melanne was one of the founders, along with Secretary of State Clinton, of Vital Voices. When I congratulated Melanne via email on her appointment in March, she wrote back to me and said, "Thanks, dear Mary. You've been an ambassador for a long time."
That meant so much to me--and how generous of her--even though I'm still plugging along to try to do even part of what she has accomplished!
"There is so much work to be done to improve the status of women and girls in many parts of the world" Hillary said earlier this week. "Every single day, you can pick up the newspaper or turn on the TV or log on to a website and see the reports of terrible assaults on women's progress. We have to fight these attacks on women's rights, and we have to address the conditions that hold women back and continue to make them the majority of the world's poor, hungry, and unhealthy."
"I don't believe that we can be successful in the many challenges that we face around the world if we don't stand up for the rights of women."
There is so much to be done; but let's take a minute to cheer the new Ambassador for Global Women's Issues - and the commitment of the United States to the lives of women and girls around the world.
Melanne was one of the founders, along with Secretary of State Clinton, of Vital Voices. When I congratulated Melanne via email on her appointment in March, she wrote back to me and said, "Thanks, dear Mary. You've been an ambassador for a long time."
That meant so much to me--and how generous of her--even though I'm still plugging along to try to do even part of what she has accomplished!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Leadership Provides Positive Public Relations
Recognition For a Job Well Done
The women I meet through my global work, including my work with Vital Voices, never cease to amaze me. I love watching the “light bulbs” go on with the communication ideas that I present. What most of the trainees do not realize is how much they in turn inspire me!
My professional goals are very closely aligned with Vital Voices’ – to help women have their voices heard! I look forward to this regular column to pass on communication tips that hopefully will help you “let your voices be heard.”
I actually met Vital Voices through Eva Muraya. When Eva, CEO of Color Creations in Nairobi, Kenya, attended a communications seminar given by me at a World Bank/International Finance Corporation conference in Accra, Ghana, in 2003, Eva learned that I was advocating for women to publicize their awards and honors.
Many women at the seminar had reservations about this aspect of Public Relations (PR), as culturally it is not acceptable for most African women to “toot their own horn.” Eva had recently been named one of the “top 30 entrepreneurs in their 30’s in Eastern Africa,” and she said it would not be good protocol on her part to publicize that award. After discussing a variety of ideas short of sending out a public announcement, which would be perceived as bragging, Eva decided she could put a line in her e-mail signature that stated the award. It was a start.
Since then, Eva, who is a natural leader not only in her Nairobi community, but for African women throughout the world, has used her leadership skills and activities to promote not just her business, but to advocate for women’s leadership on her beloved continent. She was chosen for the Fortune Leadership Program and won the Goldman Sachs Fortune Leadership Award. She became Chairperson of the Zawadi Africa Education Fund (www.zawadiafrica.org) and started the Kenya Association of Women Business Owners (KAWBO). When Color Creations earned the coveted ISO 9001:2000 global management systems standard in 2007, making Color Creations the first business in communications, and first woman-owned, in sub-Sahara Africa, to gain the standard, Eva and her work team put together a communications plan to announce the award and to enhance their branding.
For a girl who grew up and was educated in the rural countryside of Kenya, Eva now knows that letting her voice be heard has a strong ripple effect in helping others. She and Color Creations have started the “BE Campaign” to respond to Kenya’s devastating high rate of youth unemployment (3 million Kenyan youth are currently unemployed). The retail merchandising business program targets helping 22,000 youth start businesses in the next 4 years.
Being a leader in your community or industry (and we all are in one way or another) can create a strong brand for your business as well. Qualities associated with leadership include professional excellence, valuable service, strong business skills, creativity, and initiative – these carry through from your leadership work to your business and its brand.
Most importantly, your story may inspire others to aim for their dreams. Put modesty aside and publicize your success.
PR tips on awards:
• It may take a significant portion of time, but enter award competitions in your industry. These are one of the highest forms of recognition for your work. However, rarely do these awards "find you." Contact your local industry association(s) and find out if they have an awards program. Search the Internet for other related associations that may have awards programs.
• Sometimes, you may even need to ask, or remind someone, that you need to be honored. If you have done outstanding work or service above and beyond what is usually expected of a responsible citizen/worker/business owner, don't keep it a secret.
• Publicize awards and special designations. Use them as an integral part of all of your outreach for public relations, investor relations, community relations, public affairs, marketing and advertising. Third party endorsements are hard to beat--it's actually someone else tooting your horn--not you.
• The award process provides unique networking opportunities that allow you to talk about your business and yourself to potential clients and sources of referrals.
• Routinely applying for awards should be a part of everyone’s PR strategy because even if you don't win, you have the opportunity to increase your visibility and expose your business to a whole new group of potential clients.
The women I meet through my global work, including my work with Vital Voices, never cease to amaze me. I love watching the “light bulbs” go on with the communication ideas that I present. What most of the trainees do not realize is how much they in turn inspire me!
My professional goals are very closely aligned with Vital Voices’ – to help women have their voices heard! I look forward to this regular column to pass on communication tips that hopefully will help you “let your voices be heard.”
I actually met Vital Voices through Eva Muraya. When Eva, CEO of Color Creations in Nairobi, Kenya, attended a communications seminar given by me at a World Bank/International Finance Corporation conference in Accra, Ghana, in 2003, Eva learned that I was advocating for women to publicize their awards and honors.
Many women at the seminar had reservations about this aspect of Public Relations (PR), as culturally it is not acceptable for most African women to “toot their own horn.” Eva had recently been named one of the “top 30 entrepreneurs in their 30’s in Eastern Africa,” and she said it would not be good protocol on her part to publicize that award. After discussing a variety of ideas short of sending out a public announcement, which would be perceived as bragging, Eva decided she could put a line in her e-mail signature that stated the award. It was a start.
Since then, Eva, who is a natural leader not only in her Nairobi community, but for African women throughout the world, has used her leadership skills and activities to promote not just her business, but to advocate for women’s leadership on her beloved continent. She was chosen for the Fortune Leadership Program and won the Goldman Sachs Fortune Leadership Award. She became Chairperson of the Zawadi Africa Education Fund (www.zawadiafrica.org) and started the Kenya Association of Women Business Owners (KAWBO). When Color Creations earned the coveted ISO 9001:2000 global management systems standard in 2007, making Color Creations the first business in communications, and first woman-owned, in sub-Sahara Africa, to gain the standard, Eva and her work team put together a communications plan to announce the award and to enhance their branding.
For a girl who grew up and was educated in the rural countryside of Kenya, Eva now knows that letting her voice be heard has a strong ripple effect in helping others. She and Color Creations have started the “BE Campaign” to respond to Kenya’s devastating high rate of youth unemployment (3 million Kenyan youth are currently unemployed). The retail merchandising business program targets helping 22,000 youth start businesses in the next 4 years.
Being a leader in your community or industry (and we all are in one way or another) can create a strong brand for your business as well. Qualities associated with leadership include professional excellence, valuable service, strong business skills, creativity, and initiative – these carry through from your leadership work to your business and its brand.
Most importantly, your story may inspire others to aim for their dreams. Put modesty aside and publicize your success.
PR tips on awards:
• It may take a significant portion of time, but enter award competitions in your industry. These are one of the highest forms of recognition for your work. However, rarely do these awards "find you." Contact your local industry association(s) and find out if they have an awards program. Search the Internet for other related associations that may have awards programs.
• Sometimes, you may even need to ask, or remind someone, that you need to be honored. If you have done outstanding work or service above and beyond what is usually expected of a responsible citizen/worker/business owner, don't keep it a secret.
• Publicize awards and special designations. Use them as an integral part of all of your outreach for public relations, investor relations, community relations, public affairs, marketing and advertising. Third party endorsements are hard to beat--it's actually someone else tooting your horn--not you.
• The award process provides unique networking opportunities that allow you to talk about your business and yourself to potential clients and sources of referrals.
• Routinely applying for awards should be a part of everyone’s PR strategy because even if you don't win, you have the opportunity to increase your visibility and expose your business to a whole new group of potential clients.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Top 101 Bloggers to Watch
I am so honored that WE Magazine for Women included this blog on the “101 Women Bloggers to Watch!” list for 2009. Please take a moment to check out the others who made the list. Thank you!
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