Building peace through jobs
Fran Pastore has always acted locally in providing entrepreneurial training on behalf of the Connecticut Women”™s Business Development Center in Stamford.
In a few days, she will still be acting locally and providing job training, but on another continent on behalf of women in the city of Butare in Rwanda.
The Business Council for Peace invited the president and CEO of the CWBDC to teach female survivors of the 1994 genocide in the country how to launch and operate a micro business.
The Business Council for Peace is a nonprofit international volunteer network of business professionals, with the mission of fostering world peace by creating jobs.
“For most of the women in Rwanda it will be the first time that they have earned a regular income and I am thrilled to play a small part in making that happen and honored to represent WBDC,” Pastore said.
The WBDC helps women achieve economic self-reliance by educating and counseling them to start and grow businesses.
“For a very long time I have wanted to be involved with international work for women on behalf of WBDC,” she said. “This international recognition is a tribute to the entire WBDC team for its commitment to and expertise in both entrepreneurial training and financial literacy for women in Connecticut.”
The WBDC began its relationship with The Business Council for Peace in 2007 when it was selected to host and train an Afghan woman business owner in Stamford. The Rwanda mission is from May 12 to May 25.
The micro business being launched in Butare is an ice cream shop.
“They don”™t have ice cream in Rwanda,” Pastore said.
The effort was founded by two entrepreneurs, Alexis Miesen and Jennie Dundas, from Brooklyn who own Blue Marble Ice Cream shop. The Brooklyn pair was approached by Odile Gakire Katese, a Rwandan drummer and playwright.
“They realized they could form an NGO (nongovernmental organization), getting these women jobs running the business,” said Pastore.
The initiative will create jobs for at least 15 women who have the potential to earn an income of $100 monthly, nearly triple an average monthly wage. Pastore”™s role will be to provide one-on-one business coaching and counseling; to support the finance and customer service instructors by endorsing their lessons inside and outside the classroom with homework and lead team building exercises. She will also conduct a personal financial management class.
“We”™ve prepared a curriculum that focuses on personal finance,” said Pastore. “For the first time in their lives they”™re going to have a regular paycheck. That”™s a huge cultural shock. They have to be realistic and learn how to deal with people in the community asking them for money and how to set an example for the children.”