Notable female influentials Laura Bush, Eleanor Clift, Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) and Pilar Sanders to address women during stay

DALLAS, Aug. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. female entrepreneurs are banding together with Afghan and Rwandan women to look past the shadows of the current global recession and shine some light on the business world.

Thirty female business owners from Afghanistan and Rwanda will undergo business training and mentorship this month through the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS program, founded by Terry Neese and her non-profit, the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women.

Afghan student Khalida Dunya, 34, hopes her U.S. training will empower her to not only grow her ball manufacturing business -- but also to have a stronger voice.

"I want to provide facilities to the Afghan women, because they need a lot of encouragement and education," Dunya said. "A lot of women get married away at 10 or 12 years old due to poverty, even though the legal age of marriage is 16. I feel that with the help of my business, I can one day educate these women about their rights and help fix some problems that have long affected our country."

Though their businesses may not all be alike, these Afghan and Rwandan women share a common goal: to help rebuild their countries. Rwandan bookstore owner Lydie Hakizimana, 29, is no exception.

"There are still many problems in Rwanda, but I now see them as opportunities where entrepreneurs like me can thrive and rebuild the country," Hakizimana said.

PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS has three U.S. components: Leadership Development, an International Women's Economic Summit and Mentorship. The Summit, hosted in Dallas, Texas, at Northwood University, features more than 50 speakers, including AT&T and Wal-Mart female executives, Afghan and Rwandan government officials, Karen Hughes, Eleanor Clift and Pilar Sanders.

The graduation ceremony will feature Mrs. Laura Bush as the keynote speaker. Mrs. Bush is a leading advocate for literacy and has championed the power of education to advance opportunity for women worldwide. As First Lady, she traveled to both Afghanistan and Rwanda.

Neese, a member of the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council, says the program's mentorship component is key.

"Despite today's economic conditions, women business owners across America are volunteering five full days to mentor women in countries where females are suppressed economically, socially and politically," she said.

    CONTACT:
    Becca Colbaugh
    405-943-4474
    918-693-1570
    bcolbaugh@ieew.org

SOURCE Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women