After nearly 18 years as a leading nonprofit educating and empowering women around the world, the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW) has merged with the Enterprising Women Foundation (EWF) to continue the growth and expansion of the Peace Through Business Program.
IEEW was established in 2006 out of a request that its founder, Dr. Terry Neese, PhD, received from the U.S. government to develop a solution for re-engaging Afghan women business owners into Afghanistan’s economy. The Peace Through Business Program was born out of this request, with classes starting for Afghan women in 2007. IEEW expanded into Rwanda in 2008.
Over the last 17 years, more than 1,600 women have graduated from this program and received training to start, grow and scale their businesses. Graduates of the Peace Through Business Program run successful companies in industries ranging from education to IT to agriculture and manufacturing. Peace Through Business alumni have employed more than 16,000 women and men, significantly contributing to the economies of their countries. With a mission to “Pay it Forward,” women who have completed the Peace Through Business Program continue to support one another through alumni associations to pay their knowledge forward to other women in their countries.
The Enterprising Women Foundation was established in 2014 as a sister 501(c)nonprofit to Enterprising Women magazine, a national and global print and digital magazine that educates and inspires women entrepreneurs to grow and scale their businesses. Enterprising Women is also known for its annual Enterprising Women of the Year Awards, which recognizes outstanding women entrepreneurs globally for running financially strong and growing businesses, giving back to their communities, and mentoring and supporting other women and girls.
The Enterprising Women Foundation is best known for its Young Enterprising Women Mentoring Forum Program through events hosted at high schools across the U.S. The program targets young women who are high achieving in math, science or technology to encourage them to consider a career in one of the STEAM fields. Role models who are women entrepreneurs and other business leaders provide a panel discussion and small group mentoring for the young women who attend these events. In partnership with the Institute of Consumer Money Management, these events feature a financial literacy program to offer the young women who participate a strong financial foundation. Events are scheduled in more than 25 cities in 2024-2025.
Scholarship recipients are chosen at each local event and 100 girls will participate as national scholarship recipients at the 2025 Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Celebration & Conference to be hosted in Nashville in late March 2025.
With the merger of IEEW and EWF, the Enterprising Women Foundation is proud to continue the Peace Through Business Program with in-country training in Rwanda and virtual programming in Afghanistan. The program is expanding this year with a pilot project in Uganda, partnering with the Paper Fig Foundation to provide entrepreneurial training to women with fashion design, tailoring and sewing businesses in that country. The program is also reaching immigrant communities in Canada and the United Kingdom.
Transitioning in the Spring of 2024 to the Enterprising Women Foundation team are Manizha Wafeq, Program Director for Afghanistan, and Chantal Munanayire, Program Director for Rwanda, Uganda, Canada and the United Kingdom. Dr. Terry Neese continues her legacy of support for the Peace Through Business Program, serving as its Ambassador.
“I have had the honor of working with Terry Neese for more than 20 years and supported the Peace Through Business Program since its founding in 2007. I served on the IEEW Board of Directors for 11 years under Terry’s leadership so transitioning the Peace Through Business Program to the Enterprising Women Foundation was a perfect fit. Continuing the legacy Terry started with IEEW and working with her to grow the Peace Through Business Program is an honor,” Monica Smiley, President and Founder of the Enterprising Women Foundation, said.
“I couldn’t be more excited about the future of the Peace Through Business Program and the opportunities it provides for women around the world. Working with Monica Smiley and the Enterprising Women community is an honor,” IEEW Founder and President Dr. Terry Neese, said. “I am pleased to continue my engagement as the program’s Ambassador under the umbrella of the Enterprising Women Foundation.”