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Women Bring Skills and
Micro-Loans to Africa: And Leave Some Entrepreneurship Behind
For Immediate Release
August, 2007-
In this day and age when women are looking for purpose in
life, WomenForWealth.com has discovered a solution. Why not take
groups of women to Africa, let them contribute funds for mini loans to
village women, and at the same time have them share their skills?
The skills could
range from helping Senators and Parliamentarians to develop policy to
facilitate business growth, to helping village women start construction
companies. And as some women have discovered, they might even develop
joint ventures with local women.
To sum up the
experience, Co-Founder Liz Uible of Charles Town, West Virginia says,
“Isn’t that more exciting than a typical vacation of sightseeing or
sitting on a beach?”
The women who have
participated thus far respond with a resounding ''YES!' In the
last delegation of five women, comprised of two real estate investors,
an attorney, a sales trainer and a film producer, the group spent four
days training female government leaders and entrepreneurs. “This gave us
an understanding of their level of expertise and where the holes were
that we could fill,” says Uible.
Madeleine Nichols,
attorney from New York and WomenforWealth.com member, says that “the
training also gives us access at the highest levels, and proves to be a
springboard for relationship building and a myriad of business
ventures.”
Uible’s comment
about being more fun than a vacation sounds too good to be true. But
consider that the organizers create their own five-star experience by
supplying a house, a driver, and a chef, rather than staying in a hotel.
”This allows us to have dinner parties, and to entertain large groups
graciously,” says Uible. “It also provides an atmosphere of permanence
that make potential local business partners take us more seriously, “she
says.
For Connie
Kadansky, business training consultant from Phoenix, the experience in
Rwanda was incredibly enriching. “I came back with my heart opened wider
than ever before. I’ve continued my relationship with Rwandese women by
email, and I can say that the trip was truly life changing,” says
Kadansky.
She plans to expand
her training ventures into the country under the umbrella of
WomenForWealth.com in the coming months. She already has
Parliamentarians clamoring for her services.
For Christina
Willings, film producer from Alberta, Canada, says that the trip was
unforgettable. “The genuineness of the people was extraordinary,” she
says. “I’ll never be able to get out of my mind - the passion and
dedication that these female leaders have for their country!” Willings
plans to make a documentary about the future of Rwanda and leave the
genocide story behind. “It’s time to move on,” she says. “The country
has so much to offer the world in terms of role-modeling, with a 49%
female Parliament, and the ability to move on from the past.”
But not everyone
who travels with WomenForWealth.com is interested in doing business
there. “Some of our clients just come for personal enrichment and to
spend a week with success-minded women,” says Uible. “We offer them a
menu of activities – some like to see the village women in action
starting their businesses with the micro-loans, some like adventures
like seeing the gorillas or going on safari. And others just like to
relax or join the dinner parties in an exotic atmosphere,” she says.
But for all, the
highlight seems to be the journey to Lake Kivu where a boat takes
travelers to the coffee washing station, and they are met at the pier by
the village dancers and then welcomed by village women. “It’s here that
your heart goes out,” says Uible. “When the village elder asked me to
join in dancing with her and taught me the Rwandese dance steps, we
connected without language and all barriers disappeared.” She’ll
treasure that forever, she says.
The group
discovered Rwanda, Co-Founder Christine Harvey of Tucson, Arizona says,
almost by mistake. “You could say that we either stumbled upon it, or
that it was fate!” What started out as a vacation, quickly turned
into a heart-felt thriving business.“
I’d spent much of
my life working in developing countries, but Africa was an unknown to
me.” She only went because her friends were going. “Frankly, I was
worried about our safety,” Harvey says of her first trip.
But what she discovered surprised her. “When I saw locals and tourist
alike walking safely alone on the streets day and night, and the
dedication of the people, plus the lack of corruption, I realized that
this country was a place we could make a difference,” she says.
Being entrepreneurs
at heart, the two founders of WomenforWealth.com developed a business
model for themselves. “Why not leverage our expertise here and share it
with other entrepreneurs?” they asked themselves. So instead of charging
huge dollar values for organizing the trips, they have agreements with
each participant to act in a joint venture capacity on all business
startups, thus seeing their profits grow as the new businesses grow and
benefit Rwanda.
“It’s sharing the
true spirit of American entrepreneurship,” says Harvey. “It’s a great
feeling to know that we are doing our part, because it’s through
corruption-free business development that Africa will prosper,” she
says.
Because of the popularity of the trips,
WomenForWealth.com screens participants carefully in advance. “We’ve
worked hard to build a solid reputation here,” says Harvey. “The women
who join our trips have passion for life,” she says. “They bring skills
of their profession and a willingness to share. They are flexible and
fun-loving. They thrive on meeting people and building relationships,”
she says. “Since each may start a business or new joint venture here
through our network, we want to keep it high-caliber and high-integrity
businesses,” she says. |
