Archive for the ‘Giving Back to the Community’ Category

10,000 Women graduate Hasina Mahboobi speaks to the attendees of the event marking the 4th anniversary of 10,000 Women in Afghanistan on International Women’s Day.

Written by: 10,000 Women Assistant Director, Amanda Carson

On March 8^th, 2012, 10,000 Women celebrated International Women’s Day as well as the program’s fourth anniversary in Afghanistan. The event was co-hosted by 10,000 Women and the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) in the university’s gymnasium and had over 300 people in attendance, including 10,000 Women alumni, current AUAF students and several dignitaries and members of parliament. We were honored and impressed by the turnout and in fact had to turn several students away since the gym was at full capacity.

The event opened with a brief introduction by AUAF Provost Dr. Dawn Dekle, followed by a beautifully sung Koran reading by 10,000 Women alumni Hanifa Fatimi. The keynote speaker, HRH Princess India of Afghanistan, is one of the daughters of King Amanullah Khan and Queen Saraiya Tarzi, the royal couple that introduced such progressive reforms as education for both males and females in the early 20^th century in Afghanistan. HRH Princess India is one of the founding members of the Mahmud Tarzi Cultural Foundation, which is an organization dedicated to improving the lives of Afghan women and children with projects that include schools, hospitals, health clinics, and professional training, while offering financial aid for students. Her foundation funds a children’s care center, women’s care center, library and museum, and her efforts to raise awareness for the plight of Afghanistan’s women and children has resulted in the funding of numerous orphanages, schools and hospitals. President Hamid Karzai awarded her with the title of Honorary Cultural Ambassador of Afghanistan to Europe in 2006.

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Every year on March 8, the United Nations and women’s groups around the world commemorate International Women’s Day. This holiday first took place in the United States in 1908, and now is celebrated across the world by women in developed and developing countries alike.

This year, Thunderbird for Good looks back on achieving several milestones for women in 2011 and 2012.

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Alumni leader Malalai Jawad and Course Manager Zobaida Rasoul provide background on the program.

Written by: Amanda Carson, Assistant Director, 10,000 Women Afghanistan, AUAF

On Saturday, February 11, 2012 the 10,000 Women team hosted an informational session for the male family members of the 10,000 Women students in Cohorts 11 and 12. Approximately 20 women and their male family members attended. When the men arrived, they all filled out a survey relating to male support of women’s education and business and received brochures and other information relating to the program.

Hanifa Fatemi from Cohort 5 opened the session with a beautiful Islamic blessing. Course Manager Zobaida Haji Rasoul introduced all the staff members that were present. Amanda Carson then provided an overview of the program, explaining the partnership between Goldman Sachs, Thunderbird and AUAF. Veteran program instructor Fauzia Assifi led the rest of the session, describing the course structure, curriculum and wraparound services provided for all women in the program. She also emphasized the value of the program as well as why it is so important to have family support and buy-in.

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10,000 Women scholars with Professional Women's Forum members at Henkel

Written by: Wynona Heim, Program Manager, Thunderbird for Good

On Tuesday January 24^th, the Professional Women’s Forum of Henkel Consumer Goods Inc. hosted 28 women entrepreneurs from 10 countries in Asia and the Pacific for an afternoon business site visit, roundtable discussions on leadership, and a networking dinner at the Henkel facility in north Scottsdale.  The women are spending two weeks at Thunderbird’s campus in Glendale for an intensive business skills training course as part of the global Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women initiative.

Cindy Demers, VP of Corporate Communications at Henkel, gave the ladies a short overview of Henkel’s global operations, primary brands, and an overview of what functions the Scottsdale location serves to the corporation.  This overview included Henkel’s Vision to be a global leader in brands and technologies, and how they act on that vision within the context of their organizational values:

1)      We put our customers at the center of what we do.

2)      We value, challenge and reward our people.

3)      We drive excellent sustainable financial performance.

4)      We are committed to leadership in sustainability.

5)      We build our future on our family business foundation.

To conclude the initial overview session, the ladies were given an overview of our host organization, the Professional Women’s forum at Henkel, including membership levels, activities, and the benefits of professional organizations.

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by Amy Scerra and Anna Mussman

Mr. Shaiq suggests meeting again in one month to continue the dialogue

At a reunion of sorts, nine media entrepreneurs from Nangarhar and Kunar gathered at FOB Fenty on October 13, two weeks after they returned from a 3-week exchange in the U.S., a program funded through a Public Diplomacy small grant and facilitated by American Councils for International Exchange. Thunderbird School of Global Management hosted the gentlemen for 9 days as they completed a rigorous week of business training.

This gathering of media minds brought Brigade, PRT and District military and civilian officers together with radio station owners and managers to reiterate the power of media, particularly in promoting good governance, rule of law, agriculture development and economic growth.

“Oranges are an important crop in Nangarhar,” said Rodat’s Ag Advisor, Dr. Cheng.  “If you warn farmers of an approaching cold spell through daily weather reports over the radio, the farmers can harvest and then sell their oranges before they are damaged by frost.”

Sabawoon Hotik, Task Force Bronco’s Cultural Advisor and Media Liaison, talked about contacting his office to confirm news stories.  He explained that due to security concerns, independent journalists are unable to travel to sites to validate claims made by the insurgency and it would be best if these journalists heard both sides.

Governance Advisor Joanne Jensen stressed the media’s influence on economic stability.  “Help local businesses grow through radio advertisements,” she advised.  “Media as a powerful tool for communications that can highlight the governance capacity to provide essential services to the population and build credibility for GIRoA and its leaders,” said Civil Affairs Officer Major Nilda Toro. “The media can capitalize on GIRoA’s progress to assist Afghanistan to move forward.”

SCR John Bernlohr pointed out that the drawdown in forces does not impact America’s commitment to the people of Afghanistan. “The U.S. Embassy is committed to stay for years to come and will continue to support a vibrant and free media throughout the country,” Bernlohr stated.

Speaking about their impressions of the United States, the group was astonished to see the conglomeration of ethnicities that represent American society. They also discussed misperceptions, “We thought Muslims were treated badly in the United States,” said Shakib Amiri, owner of NAN, a radio station in Shinwar District. “But when we talked to Muslims on 9-11 while they were worshipping at a mosque in Arizona, we learned that this isn’t true. These Muslims all said they were treated very well.”

As the gathering came to an end, Mr. Shaiq, owner of Sharq Network, asked to meet again.  “Americans have different ideas that can help us overcome problems that often seem impossible to fix,” said Mr. Shaiq,  as everyone nodded in agreement.

Training program to launch in January 2012 will assist 3,400 female entrepreneurs in Chile and Peru

The world’s largest publicly traded copper company, Phoenix-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (FCX) has chosen Thunderbird School of Global Management to develop a skills training and certification program for women in Peru and Chile, two of the communities where FCX operates mining facilities. The announcement was made at the Clinton Global Initiative today at in New York City. <View a recording of the event here>

The program, developed by the Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold and Thunderbird’s social impact division, Thunderbird for Good, is intended to promote economic and workforce development in the communities where the company does business. Called the “Freeport-McMoRan Women’s Business Academy,” the program will support about 3,400 women entrepreneurs who are expanding a small or medium-sized business. E-learning provider Serebra Learning Corporation (TSX-V: SLC) will build the learning management system for the Academy, which is composed of a series of interactive web-based classes. Serebra and Thunderbird were introduced to each other during last year’s Clinton Global Initiative Meeting.

“Empowering women through education provides opportunities for them to live more productive lives, which would enable the development of healthier, more sustainable communities,” said Richard C. Adkerson, President and Chief Executive Officer of FCX. “Through this collaboration, we will work together with Thunderbird, gain access to its expertise as the recognized leader in global business education, and benefit from its experience in educating female entrepreneurs around the world.”

Since 2005, Thunderbird and its partner organizations have been the world leaders in educating women entrepreneurs in developing countries. Pioneering programs in Afghanistan, Jordan, Pakistan and Peru already have reached more than 30,000 women, and the number will swell to over 100,000 women by 2014. Thunderbird professors will create the videos, coursework and activities for the Women’s Business Academy, and Thunderbird MBA fellows on the ground in Chile and Peru will provide support during the initial launch of the program and Thunderbird interns will provide additional support as the program expands.

“At Thunderbird, we believe that business can and should be a force for both economic and social change around the world,” said Thunderbird President Ángel Cabrera. “FCX’s commitment to investing in the communities they serve through programs such as this is a living example of the impact companies can have on the long-term sustainability of the communities in which they do business.”

“Serebra is particularly pleased to be working with global leaders such as FCX and Thunderbird to help women achieve greater economic empowerment”, said Taleeb Noormohamed, President and CEO of Serebra.  “This project reflects Serebra’s ongoing commitment to building innovative learning tools – while giving back as good global citizens.”

(Photo: Women work at a computer lab June 2011 near Freeport McMoRan’s Minera Candelaria in Tierra Amarilla, Chile. The mine established the computer lab in 2008 to provide information technology access and training programs for those living close to the mine. Photo by Kellie Kreiser)

Written by: Wynona Heim, Program Manager, Office of Thunderbird for Good

Eva Weigold-Schultz, Terry Neese, Wynona Heim, and Noa Meyer at the Tool Kit launch at Georgetown University

Afghan women play a vital role in growing the Afghan economy.  They are opening businesses in industries that range from traditional handicrafts to construction and consulting companies.  They are providing not only goods and services to their communities, but are creating jobs and generating income to ensure their families are well-fed and their children are given opportunities that they never had under the Taliban.  All of these efforts are having a positive effect on Afghanistan’s stability and development.  In 2010-11 Afghanistan’s GDP grew at an annual rate of 11%, compared to the global growth rate of 5% according to the IMF.  This growth will need to continue for the short term if long-term stability is to be reached, especially given the 40% unemployment which is surely contributing to instability now.

Afghan women are incredibly strong in spirit, believing in a brighter future for their children despite living in the most dangerous country in the world for women (www.trust.org Danger Poll, 2011).  The entrepreneurial spirit, courage, and sheer determination of these Afghan women are second to none, but often they lack the family support, basic education and training that will help them grow their businesses to their full potential and maintain sustainability over time.  The literacy rate among women in Afghanistan is estimated at around 13%, and 70-80% of Afghan females still face forced marriage (US Department of State data).

As part of the U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council efforts, world-class business management training is offered to current and prospective women entrepreneurs through the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Program, Project Artemis here at Thunderbird School of Global Management, and Peace Through Business at the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women.  These programs have directly influenced hundreds of women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan, but there are thousands more that we have yet to reach.

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By Amanda Roberson
MBA Candidate, 2012 

It started out as a regular Saturday. In need of some downtime and hungry for some of Peru’s world-class seafood, four of us Salta interns headed to La Mar Cebichería. One of Lima’s top restaurants, La Mar is a stallion in the culinary stable of Gaston Acurio, the chef responsible for putting Peru on the global food map. Little did we know we would be treated to more than just some delicious cebiche when Gaston showed up at La Mar to watch Peru battle Venezuela for third place in the Americas Cup soccer tournament. 

Not ones to pass up an opportunity, we took the liberty of introducing ourselves. Acurio was interested in hearing more about Proyecto Salta, and he invited us to his table and treated us to pisco cocktails after Peru defeated Venezuela 4-1.

Acurio is not only a natural chef; he is a natural social entrepreneur and an inspiration to the women we work with through Proyecto Salta. Just as he works wonders in the kitchen by calling upon Peruvian lime, seafood and chiles to reach new heights, he also challenges the country’s food industry to be pioneers of social and environmental responsibility. At his cooking school, Instituto Cocina Superior Tenológico Nuevo Pachacútec, he and his staff offer training for aspiring chefs from low-income areas. On his Facebook page (which has almost 420,000 fans), he shares everything from the concoction he whipped up for lunch to his musings that chefs are like soldiers. He recently posted:

 ”We cooks fight our battles always in the land of the kitchen and in everything that it positively influences: agriculture, fishing, nutrition, the environment, fair supply chains, exports, national identity, education, culture, innovation, added value, and the promotion of our work in the world. But from the kitchen. Political offices are for the politicians. Chefs are the soldiers.” 

After training at Cordon Bleu in Paris, where Acurio met his German wife Astrid, the pair opened Astrid y Gaston in Lima in 1994 (http://www.astridygaston.com/web/intro.php). Today, the Astrid y Gaston concept has been replicated in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Spain, Mexico and Argentina. Understanding the value of creating a brand, Acurio went on to develop other Peruvian food concepts, each with a different twist. At La Mar, he focuses on cebiche (seafood cooked in fresh lime juice), while his Panchita restaurant showcases the traditional Peruvian kebob, or anticucho. A sandwich shop, juice bar and bakery are among the other brands in Acurio’s portfolio.

As we chatted with Peru’s entrepreneur in chief, he brought up a few of the issues on his mind: how to make sure fishermen get a fair price for their catch, the need for organic farmers markets in Peru and how to train restaurant owners in the best business practices. With his trademark curls and relaxed demeanor, Acurio hasn’t let international fame go to his head. Rather, he remains down to earth as he shoulders the responsibility and opportunity that come along with leading Peru’s food revolution. As he continues to dream up new flavors, he envisions his country achieving economic growth along with social and environmental justice.

The more we chatted with him, we realized that Acurio’s food, although memorable, isn’t what makes him unique. It is his desire to inspire his fellow entrepreneurs and live as proof that talent, natural ingredients and sound business practices are the recipe for positive change.

By Amanda Roberson
MBA Candidate, 2012 

“If you want to be happy, you don’t have to go out and search for happiness … just look for it, and you will find it in yourself.” This pearl of wisdom is among many Maria Frisancho wants to share with her fellow Peruvian women entrepreneurs. The owner of a successful children’s shoe business in a downtown Lima market, she started with little and grew her enterprise through relentless hard work and constant faith in her abilities. During our final Salta training session together, we sat at a table in the market’s cafeteria and she told me her story in hopes of inspiring others.

Like many Limeños (inhabitants of Lima), Maria’s family is from what Peruvians call the provinces, essentially the rest of the country outside of the capital. They moved to Lima when Maria was young. The oldest of nine children, Maria helped her parents and watched them run a meat business. Although she always had a latent entrepreneurial spirit, the meat business didn’t call out to her.

“I didn’t like to get my hands dirty,” she said. “What I liked was reading. I was always reading some kind of literature.” 

After finishing primary and secondary school, Maria’s studious nature led her to secretarial school, where she trained to be a legal secretary in hopes of later becoming a lawyer. She wanted to be able to protect her mother, who remarried a man who became abusive, she explained. Maria’s plan was cut short when she got married and had two children. Then along came the shoe business out of happenstance. Maria’s brother had a stall selling shoes in downtown Lima, and one day he asked her to help out. Immediately, the business grabbed her. 

“I didn’t know that I had it in me to sell,” she said. “I never knew that I had all that energy saved up inside of me.”
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by Kamlesh Rishyur MBA ‘11

The CGI-U meet was a fantastic networking experience as I had never imagined I would get a chance to connect with a lot of like minded individuals from across the world with a passion to create a meaningful impact on the world through their brilliant ideas. I found some excellent insights to further my project on environmental sustainability from student partners and entrepreneurs who were already doing wonderful work in the area that I was working on.

The handshakes with Mr. Clinton made me feel that America is indeed a great land of opportunities and if you are talented, you will be rewarded and also engendered a sense of responsibility on my shoulders that I must do something big. My advice to all my fellow T-Birds is to think big, think global, and start taking some action, as merely having ideas is useless and most of all don’t be discouraged by others because it is your idea.

You will face lot of criticism, oppositions from many but guess what ….you are better than them! so protect your ideas and make a persuasive and a unique proposal to draw peoples attention to your project. Let your creative adrenalin flow and make a business case out of your imagination that would punctuate your MBA education and cross cultural learning at Thunderbird.

A sneak peak at my idea : Magic Cart…. Like it! share it! and I almost forgot ……….Start thinking about your idea!

Kamlesh Rishyur is a ‘11 MBA canidate at Thunderbird. His entrepreneurial venture is Magic Cart, which seeks to achieve massive reductions in global plastic bag usage. You can connect with him on Facebook and LinkedIn.