Farah, at right, translating for Dr. Howard Reed, Director of Dubai Women's College.
The BART Associates, the faculty and staff of Dubai Women's College and the Bpeace volunteers marking the completion of BART Start 2007.Guljan, the Associate’s choice for valedictorian, spoke of hope and the crowd at the Finale event to mark the end BART Start cheered with joy.
Amid certificates, speeches, gifts, and enough photo flashes that would make most paparazzi proud, the faculty and staff of DWC and the team of Bpeace volunteers shared optimism for the future of Afghanistan based on the tenacity of the BART Associates we saw this week.
The Bpeace team all agrees that this group of Associates significantly raises the bar for Afghan businesswomen. The BARTies are professionals, operating substantial businesses, in some cases with hundreds of workers. Several of them have more demand than capacity for their services and products. Not bad for a developing economy.
In the hours leading up to the close of this mission, the Associates all made pledges to allocate some of the jobs they create to idle or disadvantaged groups—including the drug affected. This, they agree, is the connection between their businesses and peace. More jobs mean less violence. They worked with their Bpeace partners on Forward Plans to plot their business goals over the next 9 months. They reviewed an extensive list of Bpeace consulting services and selected which services they and their Bpeace partner felt would most help them achieve their goals.
We are envisioning their trip to the US in October 2008. Habiba, Mariam, Guljan and Zainul will spend their time in Maine working at various food processing businesses. Mobina will apprentice at a radio station in Pennsylvania. We don’t know where our soccer ladies—Taj, Ferishta and Azziza—will apprentice yet—there are no soccer ball manufacturers in the US. Quiet Fatima will no doubt surf at a couple of carpentry and furniture manufacturing companies. Hamida, who is wrestling on how to evolve her training consultancy, will be an asset wherever we place her. Zeba is a challenge with her fuel importing and distribution company. And Parwana, who exudes confidence and drive, will be an easy match at any major commercial printer.
All Bpeace Associates are fast runners. Literate, intuitively business savvy and already running businesses. Bpeace is an accelerant. This week the Bpeace team and Dubai Women’s College put a little wind at the backs of the BARTies. Conditions in Afghanistan make it a rough road for them. We have faith. They have hope.
Amid certificates, speeches, gifts, and enough photo flashes that would make most paparazzi proud, the faculty and staff of DWC and the team of Bpeace volunteers shared optimism for the future of Afghanistan based on the tenacity of the BART Associates we saw this week.
The Bpeace team all agrees that this group of Associates significantly raises the bar for Afghan businesswomen. The BARTies are professionals, operating substantial businesses, in some cases with hundreds of workers. Several of them have more demand than capacity for their services and products. Not bad for a developing economy.
In the hours leading up to the close of this mission, the Associates all made pledges to allocate some of the jobs they create to idle or disadvantaged groups—including the drug affected. This, they agree, is the connection between their businesses and peace. More jobs mean less violence. They worked with their Bpeace partners on Forward Plans to plot their business goals over the next 9 months. They reviewed an extensive list of Bpeace consulting services and selected which services they and their Bpeace partner felt would most help them achieve their goals.
We are envisioning their trip to the US in October 2008. Habiba, Mariam, Guljan and Zainul will spend their time in Maine working at various food processing businesses. Mobina will apprentice at a radio station in Pennsylvania. We don’t know where our soccer ladies—Taj, Ferishta and Azziza—will apprentice yet—there are no soccer ball manufacturers in the US. Quiet Fatima will no doubt surf at a couple of carpentry and furniture manufacturing companies. Hamida, who is wrestling on how to evolve her training consultancy, will be an asset wherever we place her. Zeba is a challenge with her fuel importing and distribution company. And Parwana, who exudes confidence and drive, will be an easy match at any major commercial printer.
All Bpeace Associates are fast runners. Literate, intuitively business savvy and already running businesses. Bpeace is an accelerant. This week the Bpeace team and Dubai Women’s College put a little wind at the backs of the BARTies. Conditions in Afghanistan make it a rough road for them. We have faith. They have hope.
1 comment:
Congratulations to all of you. I can't tell you how much life the videos brought to your trip. Taking advantage of this technology will transform the Bpeace experience for members who do not partipate in missions. You also make Dubai look like a vacationer's paradise, if not for the fun trip home for the Maloneys:)
Lauren
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