Empowering Individuals in the Global Community Through Entrepreneurship
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Austinwoman
February 24, 2008
"If you are coming to help me, you are wasting my time…but, if you are coming because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.” This is a quote from an Indigenous Leader which truly depicts the essence of the Empowering Women Entrepreneurs conference, held at The Crossings in December. The Crossings teamed with the Empowering Women Entrepreneurs Alliance for a two-day educational and networking event for Empowering Women Entrepreneurs (EWE), held at The Crossings Leadership Retreat Center (LRC). The EWE conference, which was produced by FLOW, an organization cofounded by John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, and Michael Strong, was dedicated to liberating the entrepreneurial spirit for good.
“Our purpose this weekend is focusing on women entrepreneurs in developing countries…not about us doing something for them but coming together,” stressed Jeff Klein, executive director and chief activation officer for FLOW.
FLOW is a non-profit corporation promoting entrepreneurial initiatives that focus on the goals of sustainable peace, prosperity and happiness for all, in our lifetime. FLOW advances its mission through its educational programs (Empowering Women Entrepreneurs, Peace Through Commerce, and Conscious Capitalism) and through publishing.
The co-sponsored interactive conference illuminated the importance of supporting women entrepreneurs in developing countries to help alleviate poverty. One fascinating way of doing so is through microfinance. This is a term for the practice of providing financial services, such as credit, savings and insurance, in small amounts, frequently less than $100 (U.S.).
Microfinance and the Women’s Economic Empowerment movement are gaining popular recognition as keys to peace and prosperity. Michael Strong, co-founder and chief visionary officer of FLOW stressed, “We are committed to elevating awareness of the issue of women’s economic empowerment to a level comparable to that of global warming and AIDS, with resultant attention and resources directed towards supporting women entrepreneurs and advancing a global women’s economic empowerment movement.”
Sangita Sigdyal, deputy director of the Microcredit Summit Campaign, spoke about how her organization brings practitioners, donor agencies, government leaders and other stakeholders to the table to forward the movement. Hopefully, by connecting to this campaign, local woman entrepreneurs can participate in this global effort to empower women and families.
Austin women entrepreneurs can also connect to the Whole Planet Foundation, a local nonprofit established by Whole Foods Market, that provides grants to microfinance institutions in Latin America, Africa and Asia. These institutions then develop and offer microenterprise loan programs, training and other financial services to the self-employed poor.
Whole Planet Foundation, partnering with 2006 Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus and others, is planning to launch an Austin Leadership Network in 2008 which will provide women entrepreneurs and others a chance to get involved in the mission and help plant seeds of economic prosperity around the globe through microlending.
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