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Why BART Start?
The BART is the Bpeace Apprentice Road Trip. Afghan female entrepreneurs recruited to the Bpeace three-year program where we offer them pro-bono business consulting, mentoring, training and access to financing. The goal—as it always is with Bpeace—to help their businesses strengthen and spark job creation. The “apprentice” in the BART ties to when these Bpeace Associates will travel to the US in October 2008 to work on the job at American host companies for several weeks.
It took us six months to identify, screen and admit all of the 12 new Associates to the Bpeace program. Those who received their “early acceptances” back in June have been taking English and computer lessons, for which Bpeace provided 50% cost-sharing. Soraya Omar, our Program Manager in Afghanistan, worked intently with the BARTies to blueprint their businesses. As a result, for the first time, all new Associates have business plans. What a wonderful thing!
The START is because this week in Dubai represents the first time all the BART Associates will meet as a group (several of whom work outside of Kabul where Soraya is based).
BART Start is produced in partnership with Dubai Women's College. Partial funding for the program is provided by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Citizen Exchanges in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
It took us six months to identify, screen and admit all of the 12 new Associates to the Bpeace program. Those who received their “early acceptances” back in June have been taking English and computer lessons, for which Bpeace provided 50% cost-sharing. Soraya Omar, our Program Manager in Afghanistan, worked intently with the BARTies to blueprint their businesses. As a result, for the first time, all new Associates have business plans. What a wonderful thing!
The START is because this week in Dubai represents the first time all the BART Associates will meet as a group (several of whom work outside of Kabul where Soraya is based).
BART Start is produced in partnership with Dubai Women's College. Partial funding for the program is provided by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Citizen Exchanges in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Bpeace Volunteers on this Mission
Kate Buggeln, retail industry executive serving on the boards of Dress Barn and Circles Inc.
Laurie Chock, communications coach and founder of Chock Communications and the documentary film company Three Graces Productions.
Jessica Chock-Goldman, recent Program Manager at the United Way of NYC.
Susan Geear, consultant, coach and social justice advocate.
Athena Katsaros, founder of IdeaTribe, a life and leadership coaching consulting firm.
Toni Maloney, marketing strategist, and Bpeace volunteer chairperson.
Ray Maloney, former attorney, and full-time artist.
Sandi Mason, partner in Cutting Hedge Gardeners, a boutique garden design and installation firm based in Brooklyn, NY.
Ladan Pazhouhandeh a financial analyst at XM Satellite Radio.
Khatera Sahibzada, PhD, a consultant with Personnel Decisions International (PDI), a global HR consulting firm.
Wendy Summer, marketer, and founder of
ZAANHA, a new fashion and home decor import business.
Farah Vezvaee, founder and owner of an international translation company.
Laurie Chock, communications coach and founder of Chock Communications and the documentary film company Three Graces Productions.
Jessica Chock-Goldman, recent Program Manager at the United Way of NYC.
Susan Geear, consultant, coach and social justice advocate.
Athena Katsaros, founder of IdeaTribe, a life and leadership coaching consulting firm.
Toni Maloney, marketing strategist, and Bpeace volunteer chairperson.
Ray Maloney, former attorney, and full-time artist.
Sandi Mason, partner in Cutting Hedge Gardeners, a boutique garden design and installation firm based in Brooklyn, NY.
Ladan Pazhouhandeh a financial analyst at XM Satellite Radio.
Khatera Sahibzada, PhD, a consultant with Personnel Decisions International (PDI), a global HR consulting firm.
Wendy Summer, marketer, and founder of
ZAANHA, a new fashion and home decor import business.
Farah Vezvaee, founder and owner of an international translation company.
6 comments:
I am so excited ( and jealous!) at what you are accomplishing there. I watched as the women tried to figure thier cost of goods and profits and wished I could be there to help. Listening to the professor, I was overwhelmed! There is an easier way to figure these costs. I am in Chicago, but when I return to Maine, I will send you some easy spreadsheets with formulas for figuring costs.
Now, I hope Jess got more video of the desert adventure! Who was rolling down the dunes?
Have fun!
Cynthia
You are all amazing...I have a sense, I can see, that the mentoring is very concrete What I can't see, if I can be selfish for a moment, is my wife and daughter. I may have caught a glimpse of Jess rolling down a dune, getting her just deserts. But I want more than a cameo here folks.
Love and good luck, LARRY
How wonderful and exciting to see everyone working together with the new associates, and how wonderful also to see familiar faces from the last generation of associates (I saw Nasima -- send her my warm greetings!! Who else is there? Habibia? Kamela?).
Keep up the good work -- you all ROCK!! I love seeing the videos, it makes it come alive.
Today (Nov 13) marks the 6 year anniversary since the Taliban left Kabul. How thrilling to see this important work being done only six years since an oppressive regime ruled Afghanistan!
Love to you all,
Paula
Dear Laurie and Jess,
How are you doing? I hope you are having fun. From this video I can tell that everyone is having fun. Give my regards to everyone over there and enjoy!!!
Love,
Palwasha
Hello you wonderful people - another journey and it looks fantastic - I wish I was with you! Each day is more inspiring than the last - how do you manage that? Yay team!
Have a wonderful time and know that I am sending you all my love.
Dana
what an exciting and productive adventure! enjoying the blog, traveling in spirit with all of you...
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