GREAT WOMEN in a GREAT SUMMIT!!!

Last October, some of our great sisters assisted to the Most Powerful Women Summit. Here is a picture sent by Houwa. They all look SO BEAUTIFUL!!! Many many hugs to this EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN.

From Maria: GUATEMALA!!!

Hello Everyone!!!

I am very excited to hear from everyone!!! This program has really accelerated the rythm at which things are happening.

I have some amazing news. I am totally excited that the First Lady of Guatemala, Wendy de Berger, is travelling to Washington (I get to go with her) to meet with Vital Voices and other organizations from September 4-9!!! The idea is to see how in Guatemala, we can form an organization that can keep up the work she has been doing while in Government, and keep supporting women that are starting to feel good about themselves, that are starting to see there is an amazing world out there. The dream is to set up an organization in Guatemala that " generates opportunities for Guatemalan Women in Political, Social and Economical spaces", in Wendy`s words!!! AID Guatemala and the Embassy are helping us to do this!!

She is an amazing woman that has been working for other women long before becoming the First Lady of Guatemala. When she talks, I get chills because of the energy and spirit of how she expresses herself!!! She connects people to the VISION!!!

I knew this program what going to be great, but it is oppenning possibilities for our BIG, BIG DREAMS!!

Thanks again, Janet, for this great program!!!!

A big hug to all,
Maria (from Guatemala)

From Xoliswa: Thoughts about war...

I returned from Germany Mid August, it was a swell experience. It coincided with South Africa being handed the burner for 2010 and the unveiling of the FIFA. It was really a great experience for me. Of course these wonderful experiences get tainted by what the world is doing. As global citizens we cannot ignore what is happening between Israel and Lebanon. I happen to know two women one from Beirut and the other from Israel. Its all atrocious, the one tells of her daughter’s house being flattened down, then the other tells of a sister and family killed, its horrible. Oh goodness, you really wonder if WE as individual human beings, as families, as communities as interest groups etc, really cannot do anything? You hear that the Congo is getting its first elections in more than 40 years and you go wow!!! This is the world I want to belong to and the world my children must grow up in, the next you hear some testosterone driven men are killing civilians and you wonder why you chose to be a parent….. I guess we each have a role and there are many silent ways in which we can play it effectively, as mothers, business people, community members etc. I think about you all.

Regards,

Xoliswa

QUISIERA...

Quisiera gritar con la fuerza de un herido de guerra
Y que el sonido de mi voz
Reventara el corazón de quienes la promueven.

Quisiera llorar con la amargura de una madre huérfana
Y que cada una de mis lágrimas
Ahogara a los responsables por pérdidas irreparables.

Quisiera abrir los ojos a los ciegos mentales
Quisiera cambiar la letra a los medios manejados
Quisiera cambiar el rumbo a los de derecha o izquierda.

Quisiera que nos devuelvan la esperanza
La esperanza de creer en el ser humano:

En un ser humano al que yo quisiera.

4...

Four incredible women from different continents... "ordinary women making extraordinary things" (Joyce)

DREAMING WITH NUMBERS!!!

Our smart Farah... dreaming with numbers...

KENIAN SLEEPY BEAUTY

So beauty and sexy... even when she sleeps...

FROM DARIA!!!

Hi Everybody,

I would love to hear your story what happened during the first month after you returned home. You know that I like keeping "au courrant" and I like keeping notes :-)

Here are three things which I find most crucial to me:

- I approached the Central European University Business School in Budapest, funded by George Soros. Starting from October 2006 I will teach a course on "Critical Thinking and Leadership". Teaching at CEU Business School will give me a strategic exposure to regional issues, an access to an outstanding network and unique research opportunities ( > www.ceubusiness.com ).

- I went sailing with my family to Croatia. However, there was no wind at all so we ended up having motor boat holidays, which was a great fun for the kids and for us as well.

- I went with my Warsaw MBA students to Paris in order to play a strategic game "Glob'Strat" with the HEC students . This is a computer  simulation of the global market place and the point is to compete and grow the company's value over 5 years. First, I am proud that I accepted to be a general manager of one of the international teams. Believe it - have I not gone to the US, I would never dare to even compete for this position with Polish and French managers :-). And I am proud that our team gained the second place of out 9 team! We achieved a 46% company value growth over 5 years, heavily investing into technology and global expansion and positioning our company for the leadership position if there were to be a second round. 

My lesson learnt after the first month is: I do have a capability to be a global leader. Gosh, they were right -:)!

Hugs to you all,
Daria

FROM XOLISWA!!!

Dear colleagues,
I do hope that you have been watching our male global citizen chasing the
ball into a net, and the whole world has been watching and applauding. I
will be applauding from Berlin itself as I watch twelve men chasing this
ball.

South Africa is launching a women's movement, which is non-political, where
women work together to make a difference in civil society, business,
government etc. This happens on August first week. Our Minister of Foreign
Affairs wishes to invite the Fortune 500 and Women in Government, and has
asked me to give her names. I am at a loss where to start. Can anyone help
with at least Patti's contact details so I can give them to the Minister. I
am busy developing a website for them. It will be sawomensmovement.org, I'll
tell you when it is complete.
Regards,
Xoliswa.