A-MAZE-ing Women Entrepreneurs from the Middle East/North Africa

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Observing International Women’s Day at Meridian with Amb. Cathy Russell, Ambassador-at-large for Global Women’s Issues at the Department of State.

Ahlan wa sahlan, is one of what I referred to as my five Arabic expressions at the start of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women / U.S. Department of State Entrepreneurship Program for Women in the Middle East and North Africa. Welcome!

It was my honor to welcome 29 extraordinary women entrepreneurs for a two-week exchange program in which they received training, mentoring, advice, and more than a little bit of snow (February, after all). What they brought, however, was much broader, much richer, and definitely more lasting than the winter’s snow. Continue  

18 Inspiring Messages From Young African Leaders

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Pan-Africa Youth Leadership Program participants spell out their vision for Africa.

Listen up. Young African leaders have a few things to say about youth leadership.   These 24 incredible changemakers from Togo, Senegal, Chad and Mauritania traveled to the United States to learn and discuss social entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and community building.   The leaders were here last month as part of our second cohort of Pan-African Youth Leadership Program, a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.   Each student developed a community service project or small enterprise to implement upon their return home. Projects ranged from jewelry-making ventures to new libraries to school clean-up initiatives. We’re excited...

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Economic Empowerment Program for Zambian and Zimbabwean Professionals

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Victoria Falls - At the Zambia/Zimbabwe Border

In the spring of 2014, Meridian International Center will begin the implementation of the U.S. Department of State’s Professional Fellows Program for Zambia and Zimbabwe. Beginning in May 2014, the program aims to bring 24 professionals to the U.S. from Zambia and Zimbabwe in two cohorts to introduce them to American business, entrepreneurial, and marketing practices that they can later implement in their home countries. The program incorporates a 3-week fellowship with an American business or NGO based in Denver, CO, or Charlotte, NC, as well as skills-based workshops, and culminates with a Professional Fellows Conference in Washington, DC. The participants will also benefit from a reciprocal two-week visit from eight American counterparts to Zambia and Zimbabwe in 2015.

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